Lesson
by Heather Giesbrecht
Summary: Didn't Thor ever learn ? He'd just barely started the lesson. Jane/Thor, Loki/Thor. In-progress. Chap. 7 - Intention posted.
1. Lesson

_Author's Note:_ Thanks to _thor and loki and BAE_ for kicking me to have a second look at this and prompting me to add a hopefully more conclusive ending.

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><p><strong><span>Lesson<span>**

_'Thor really does look ravishing than again he always does.'_

Loki grinned as he saw the guards and picking another illusion then shoved Thor against the column into a deep kiss. He startled as the blond kissed back, more so when one of Thor's hands stroked his ass.

One of the guards murmured jealously, "Thor and Sif ? I knew those two had something going on."

"Hjarr, I know you've got it bad for the prince, but we've got a job to do."

Hjarr harumpfed and then the two guards wandered off. Thor pushed him away suddenly, "Did you just kiss me Loki ?"

Of course, he decided to have a bit of fun and adopted Sif's image to ask, "Did you just grab my ass and Thor why did you call me Loki ? Is there something you're not telling us ?"

Thor glared, "Stop playing games with my head and let's go."

Seconds later, he dropped the Sif illusion to reply, "Games, Brother, would I ever do that to you ?"

"Yes.", followed by the click of another pair of handcuffs.

_'Stop ? Stop ? Oh, Brother, don't you ever learn ? I've just barely gotten started.'_

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><p>In a grim sort of way it was a pleasure to watch his adopted brother break-down after he'd 'breathed his last'. Especially, when Thor scooped up his 'dead' body, then the blond-head laid itself on his chest as the Asgardian prince screamed, cried and swore to the dark-clouds above them.<p>

A hand smoothed his hair back and Thor blinking away tears muttered, "I don't know what actually happened in that hallway, but I should have told you long ago that I loved you as more than my brother. Keep Mother company for me in Valhalla."

_'Oh, if only I would ever go there. Unfortunately, that is not in my plans.'_

The mortal girl, Jane, walked up to stand over them. "You were in love with your brother and you never told me ?"

If it would not have ruined his illusion he would have laughed as Jane slapped Thor in the face.

"I-I it was not something I could control, Jane. It just-", another sharp **thwack**.

"Do you really think it was invisible to me, Thor ? The way on the boat that you were looking for any excuse to grope him ? And when I was 'asleep' do you think I didn't notice you darting glances at him like you wanted to have sex with him while I was right there ? You should've just done it, you idiot, I wouldn't have minded."

_'Well, she's lucky she wasn't paying that much attention on the spaceship then.'_

He held his breath to keep in the gales of laughter as when Thor steeled himself for another slap Jane punched him instead.

_'I knew there was something about her that I liked. I wonder if she'd be up for a threesome later ?'_

After Thor and Jane disappeared, his laughter couldn't be contained any longer.

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><p>He shook his head in dismay as for the first time in years Thor missed his target.<p>

Malekith sneered, "You missed."

Annoyed at the dark-elf king, he picked up the 'spear' and ran up to thrust it through the white-haired elf's stomach and back into the ship. "He might have, but I did not. Thor has already lost too many things today to lose his life to you."

When they had gotten to a safe place he was promptly kicked in the groin and called, "You bastard ! You lying, conniving, bastard !"

With a smirk he straightened up slowly, "Well, let me apologize for saving your life then; I am sorry, Thor. Don't worry though I still love you." Hardly a moment later he was pulled into a bruising kiss.

Two female voices, Jane and that Darcy woman, "God, that's hot."

Thor pulled away to growl, "I love you, Loki."

_'Finally we get to the lesson of the day - everyone loves me, it is merely a matter of if I love them back.'_

For the first time in two years he stood before the man he once called Father.

Odin growled while dragging a hand through his hair, "You explicitly disobeyed me by leaving Asgard and in the doing of such you willingly freed not one but two very dangerous prisoners then proceeded to steal an enemy ship thus starting another panic of being attacked. Is there anything that I have missed ?"

Enthusiastically, Loki added, "You forgot about how he decapitated a statue of Bor and is an absolutely terrible driver as well. Oh, also you forgot how I avenged Mother and helped save not only Thor but also Asgard...and the universe. For my part in things may I say that I think I deserve a full pardon along with a public apology after being left to rot in that awful cell."

Odin glared at him wearily, "Thank you for the commentary Loki. Now, what have you to say for yourself Thor ?"

Thor looked over at him before they both burst into laughter, eventually he had to lean on Thor for support. Warm lips pressed against his hair when Thor had regained himself. As Odin stared in confusion Thor replied, "You may throw us in the dungeon if you wish Father but we only did what M-Mother would want us to do. She would have valued the universe's life over all of Asgard's being fruitlessly slaughtered."

Gungnir's steadiness wavered as Odin let out an enormous sigh, "I should have both of you executed for treachery and conspiracy of the highest order. However, you are right Frigga would not have wanted Asgard's death or that of her sons. You have your pardon Loki and that is all you need. Thor as it worked for you perhaps you would take Loki to live on Midgard for a while so that he may learn why his previous actions were wrong."

"I think that eventually he will learn something whether it will be compassion I cannot say."

Shortly, they were waved away to return to Midgard.

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><p>Amusedly, he listened to Jane's murmur of, "We need a bigger bed next time or this isn't going to work." The Midgardian lay on Thor's left side still panting as she leaned over to press a kiss against Thor's chin. Simultaneously, a hand reached across Thor to wander down his side and stomach, "Fuck, don't you guys need any rest ?"<p>

A smirk crossed his lips, "There is a reason why the higher realms have the most dominant species."

Her hair falling over her breasts Jane raised herself to look down at him quizzically. "Loki tell me you did not just say you're higher on the food-chain than me because you can fuck sooner ?"

"No, I did not say that Jane. I merely said there was a non-specific reason, you are the one who made it sexual in nature."

His response led to her rolling her eyes then replying, "This is why I hate arrogant guys."

"Really, then why are you in bed with two of them ?"

Thor rolled to face and kiss him, he pushed Thor onto his back before straddling him. One of the tanned, calloused hands twined in his hair while the other slid down his back.

Jane hummed, "Oh yeah, that's why. Mmm, I think I'll just watch this time."

_'Should I ever learn why Midgardians want to watch other people have sex then I will be doing well. In the meantime, I think I could, heh, come up with a few more lessons...later. Much, much later indeed.'_


	2. Secondary

_Author's Note:_ Thanks to _Lorelei Jacques_ for the favourite, _dracomalfoylover666_ for the favourite/follow and _catyscitty_ for the follow.

I'm going to do a bit of the meet-up that should've been in Age of Ultron and next chapter we'll get into Age of Ultron properly and alternately.

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><p><span><strong>Secondary<strong>

Loki hummed to himself as he finished cleaning the kitchen table with a spell. _'I can't remember what that little saying of Jane's about Godliness is but it is surely appropriate. Thor had better not come in with mud-covered boots again as I just cleaned the floor too.'_

There was a knock on the door and he went to answer the door smirking as a pistol snapped up to point at his face accompanied by, "Loki !"

Loki half-leaned against the door to examine his nails. "How nice of you to remember my name, Fury. Please, do come in." He moved aside to hold open the mahogany door, of course, the mortal did not move an inch.

The black-clad and eye-patched Midgardian replied, "What did you do to Jane and Thor ?"

Said question's phrasing made his smirk widen into a small smile, "Oh, it was nothing that they did not want me to do."

"Tell me what you did or I'll put a bullet in your face…for Coulson."

Innocently he asked, "All the details, every single one ? It's not my fault if you become very uncomfortable then."

Click went Fury's pistol as he unlocked the trigger, "Tell me."

Seconds passed as he summoned a dagger, "I think not as they would be much embarrassed. Try to shoot me and I swear that you will have not only that bullet but also this dagger in your forehead. Thor and Jane are not here, however let me assure you that they are very much alive."

Further talk was postponed by Jane's royal purple, 1990's Dodge Charger pulling into the driveway. Thor rushed out of the passenger side door clad in a black-shirt, jeans and his red long coat. _'While I shall always prefer his Asgardian clothes and armour these Midgardian clothes, and those jeans in particular, are a close second. I still look far better in leather we've all agreed on that.' _

"Fury, put the gun down. Loki, banish the dagger."

S.H.I.E.L.D's former Director raised his eyebrow as he holstered the gun, "So, you actually told the truth for once. I gotta say you shock me, Real Power."

Dagger banished he put a hand on his heart, "For once ? You wound me deeply."

"Yeah ? Well, let's hope it's lethal. Thor, what's he doing here ?"

"The All-father has given Loki pardon for his part in Greenwich and sent him to live on Midgard to learn humility and compassion." Thor shook his head in disbelief, "Rogers said that you were dead, that you truly have both eyes."

"You'll be here forever then. My death was exaggerated and most people wouldn't recognize me without the patch. I'm here because Rogers, Wilson and Romanov want your help in trying to find Barnes…again."

Thor looked from him to Fury and back, "Loki should come as well. He can do things that neither myself nor the Captain or Romanov can."

"Rogers will have to okay it when you find him."

'_Oh good, I shall jump for joy…right off Midgard. Like Rogers would be able to deny me if I truly wanted to help.' _ He smoothed one of his emerald-green, silver-buttoned cuffs and answered, "Oh, I know the passion-part well, it is merely the com-part with which I struggle. With my awe-inspiring powers, incredible looks and being a master of magic it is surprisingly hard to be humble. Such wise, it would be idiotic for Rogers to deny my help as even Barton can vouch for my usefulness in the past months."

A dry chuckle, "You were trying so hard at humility too."

"Precisely, isn't it lovely ?"

Jane had exited the car and started towards them, "Alright, Loki you can stop bragging now. You asked Fury inside didn't you ?"

"Please, Midi, who do you think I am ? My brother ? Of course, I have…and I made coffee whilst I was cleaning."

Fury was understandably bewildered, "Cleaning ?"

"Oh yeah, he's the perfect live-in boyfriend." Jane still smiled at his nickname for her, leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek then entered the house with Thor while he eyed the black-leather boots nodding to himself when he saw they were clean.

"Boyfriend ? I thought, no, you know what I don't wanna know." The mortal shook his head warily moving past him.

A whisper quiet whoosh with a slightly louder creak at the end signalled the door's complete closure. They walked through the white-walled open floored living room into the kitchen to sit at the dark-wooded table as Thor got out three mugs, Fury declined per who had made it.

While he, Thor and Jane drank they discussed Rogers and the others last known whereabouts somewhere in Siberia.

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><p>The fall silence was broken by her, "Rogers you will be disappointed to know that Barnes is not in the compound. However, I did get quite a few propositions when I professed my disappointment."<p>

Thor became amused because he knew that quite a few of the men would now be hobbling around in a great deal of pain.

Rogers shook his blue-helmeted head, "I definitely did not need to know that last part thank you Loki."

When he shifted back from female-form Wilson shuddered in discomfort asking, "How can you do that ? It just looks so…I don't know, like uncomfortable or something."

'_This is why I prefer working with Banner instead as he slightly understands shape shifting no matter that his is an odder form.' _

It was Romanov who answered for him, "You know if our government could employ a platoon of shape shifters like Loki our regular intelligence agents would be useless because he or similar people could do so much more. If he were close to being caught he could change his appearance to something completely different and escape."

'_I still do not get why she supported my inclusion considering that I threatened Barton and her both. It must be because she has less need to risk herself despite all that pesky red. Hmm, where exactly is Barton ? I've yet to see him anywhere near here.'_

The sun sank fully behind the nearest mountain's peak behind him the rest of the compound's lights would be flickering to life.

Rogers sighed in disappointment taking off his helmet to scrub at his short brown-hair. "Nothing, again, I thought we'd have something by now. Well, did you find anything else of use ?"

He shook his hair out he hated shifting into any shorthaired form, much less one with only ear-length hair, it felt so unnatural. "Some documents that suggested there were other Hydra bases hidden deep within, ah, France, Switzerland and a tiny country…Sokovia or some such amongst many others. They also seemed to have vague hints at the process used to create Barnes along with other weapons. I was unable to procure them as I was being watched and didn't want to create a conflicting illusion atop the one I had already made to enter that area."

Wilson put on his goggles and opened his mechanical wings, "Let's go find some papers. Ya wanna cover us, Thor ?"

Thor nodded, "Of course, I will. Are you coming with me, Loki, or going with Romanov ?"

Briefly, he shook his head, "I'll go by myself and further distract them. I have something which I need to do here yet."

Minutes later, the rainstorm which had started to roll in accelerated its pace enormously while he jogged back along the road making an illusion of soldiers climbing over the base's walls and fence as he did. Chain-link clinked as he leaped to grab the middle of the fifty-foot fence, jumped once more on the top rings of so-called barbed wire and vaulted onto the other side. It wasted less magic and energy than teleporting that would have weakened him for a few minutes to an hour.

It was the re-assumed the form of Junior Lieutenant Laura Kandinsky who went to see Colonel Gleb Ivanov. _'Poor little Laura tied up all alone behind the women's showers. Ah well, I will merely have to free her later. After I give Ivanov a secondary lesson in etiquette to her first.'_

Ivanov was an older man of middling stature, pale-skin and slightly greying blonde-hair. "What do you want now Laura ?"

Her tone was plaintive and worried, "Gleb, there are S.H.I.E.L.D Agents attacking us."

"Come here, sit with me."

A second of suppressed disgust later, she moved to sit on the only available seat - Ivanov's lap. Ivanov kissed her, she feigned surprise at the punch that followed but truthfully, it barely produced a sting in her cheek. _'Jane can inflict more pain with a slap than he can with a punch.'_

"We will be perfectly fine, do you still doubt me ?"

She caught the second before it could come close to hitting. "I doubt everything you do, Ivanov and you're going to lose."

Ivanov tried to pull his fist from her grasp and failed, "Let go !"

Loki retook his own form after releasing Ivanov it took not even a second to snap the man's neck. That done he slid from Ivanov's still quite lively lap and spun to shuffle through the papers on the desk. While he tried to ignore the feeling of grime suddenly covering his skin he decided that he'd leave the computer to Romanov. _'She has far more experience with such things than I do. I would likely end up setting it on fire and melting it…again.'_

Minutes later the others burst into the office first Thor followed by Rogers, Wilson and Romanov. Rogers walked past him as he moved to stand beside Thor.

Wilson asked, "Is he dead ?"

Rogers moved around the dark-wooded desk to check Ivanov. "Nope, uh…mostly nope, that's just gross."

The black-haired and wing-suited man continued, "Why's he dead Loki ?"

"Simple, he beat her for no reason and punched me in the face. You do not think I was going to let him live for that do you ?"

When Rogers half-turned the man looked torn between praising his initiative and being annoyed, "You could've left him alive until we got here, at least."

"I didn't feel like it." Instead of waiting for Romanov to start on the computer, he dragged Thor out of the office and down the hall into one of the empty rooms. Unlike on the field of battle, Thor generally liked being told what to do in romance/sex. Seconds passed as he shoved the blonde against the door, twined his hands tightly into Thor's hair and pulled him into a series of deep kisses.

A groan left him at the welcome roughness of Thor's beard against his lips and chin compared to Ivanov's being clean-shaven. Hands slid up his chest, teasing his nipples then they moved to his shoulders before pushing the long coat off his shoulders, leather and metal clattered to the floor. Their tongues tangled as warm fingers stroked his hips then fluttered feather-light over his cock as they moved to fumble at the silver clasps that held his pants closed.

When he pulled Thor back, his brother blinked in confusion to ask, "What is it ?"

Over the pounding of his blood he replied, "Ivanov kissed me and I feel the horrendous kind of dirty."

Thor's eyebrows furrowed then, "You want me to hit you again don't you ?"

After undoing Thor's belt his hands sought out and undid the buckles and clasps of Thor's breastplate to shove it out of the way. He glared at the irritating and utterly useless chain-mail sleeves before ripping them off with a growl. Sweat slicked the tanned skin as he peeled the sapphire tunic away then pulled it over the tousled head. Smoothly, he bent to suck on a hard nipple, eliciting a groan along with an unconscious thrust.

Blue-eyes were half-shut as he glanced up with a grin. Shortly, he responded while straightening up, "Like that does you, it makes me feel better. May I remind you that there is a chasm of difference between hitting me to capture me and hitting me because I ask you to ?"

'_This is the frustrating thing with him while I like pain and Jane sometimes asks, Thor doesn't really like giving it. Norns damn it all, he's guarded enough asses for both of us combined, but he doesn't even like my ass enough to verbally claim it. Even the laziest of bilgesnipes would have fucked me by now, Norns !'_

"Are you sure ?"

"Yes, yes, a thousand fucking times yes, hard !"

Anticipation heightened the sound of already heavy breathing. It was a good, hard, head-turning slap that would've killed a Midgardian. Unconsciously, his eyes fluttered as an amount of pleasure that Jane couldn't have given him surged into his veins, "Ah-h."

Wilson's voice echoed down the hallway, "Uh, anybody know where Loki and Thor disappeared to ?"

Romanov, "Never mind them, they'll catch up. When they come back we'll get one of Stark's guys to look at the USB."

'_Ugh, that idiot again ? Can I finally snap his neck for that singsong Frosty the Reign-deer comment ? I still have no idea why Jane started laughing when he said that and she's never managed to explain it without bursting into giggles yet. Some day I will find out what that means.'_

Fortunately, Thor distracted him quite handily.

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><p>Sunlight gleamed off the wall of mirrors as he examined himself and murmured, "Well…it's not terrible." Slowly, he swept back the black-leather coat with its braided gold and emerald trim to take a closer look at the dark-emerald shirt. It was of leather also with bits of asymmetrical chain-mail centered around strips of interlocking silver. The pants were plain, well-fitted, black-cotton though there was also an accompanying pair of his near requisite leathers waiting in his and Thor's chambers.<p>

'_I am surprised that Stark kept his designers to my desired colours…unlike with Barton's purple and black coat. Overall, this outfit is almost something that Mother would have picked for me.' _

In the mirror, his gaze drifted to Thor and his new armour - a dark-sapphire breastplate of overlapping leather and metal circles, along with bracers and greaves. A ruby cloak clasped with silver circles and dark-blue cotton pants completed the outfit. While Thor's little 'A' on his belt-buckle was ruby, his own 'A' so as not to disturb the colour scheme was dark-gold.

He trailed a finger over Thor's left bicep and down the tanned arm to tap the silver-lined bracer. "As it is I think the bracer is too dark against your skin; it emphasizes your arms nicely, what wouldn't, but it also looks…call me biased, but it still looks far more Midgardian than Asgardian."

Stark again, "Well, it's not our fault Odin thinks we're not worthy of Asgardian metals. Maybe I should've had them add a muzzle to shut you up like after New York."

Thor, "I would not have minded, it would be interesting."

'_Something that he really wants to try ? Norns, it's a miracle.'_

Romanov broke in, "Guys, I think you're going to give poor Steve a heart attack."

To his eyes, the only way that Romanov's outfit had changed was that it had become tighter and she also had electric batons now or some such, instead of mere guns. _'No matter how many times Jane and Thor tell me I still can't believe that Thor was taken down by his own favoured element.'_

When he leaned over to look at Rogers the mortal did look uncomfortable. "No, no, I-I'm okay, just…don't start practicing. Hey ! How am I supposed to have one when they're over a thousand years old ? If anyone's going to have a heart attack it should be one of them."

The red-haired woman threw her arms around his and Thor's shoulders, "Heart attack ? You mean these otherworldly fine specimens. I think you're jealous."

"Why ? I have nothing to be jealous of."

"They have better hair than you do, well, Thor's needs a wash but still they have lovely hair."

Suddenly, Thor reached over to mess up his formerly sleek hair and he frowned at his reflection. "I spent three hours brushing my hair this morning and now I have to do it again, thank you very much, Brother."

A lightning bright smile, "You're welcome Loki."

He couldn't help but laugh at Thor's cheeriness. Of course, Barton had to ruin it by asking, "Why do you keep calling each other Brother ? Not only are you not related, but you're dating and it's really creeping me out."

Thor and himself both replied, "A thousand-some years he was my brother and is my brother still, it takes far more time than two years to call him my lover always."

"Still really creepy."

A woman walked into the room to say, "Mr. Stark, we have good evidence that says Loki's, uh, the Chitauri, erm, the Sceptre is being held in a base in Sokovia."

"Well, let's pick up Bruce and go find out."

'_So, Ivanov's report was right about Sokovia. Hmm, I wonder if my old friend the Baron had something to do with the Sceptre's disappearance.'_


	3. Detain

_Author's Note:_Dear _thephoenixandthedragon4ever_ thanks for the review and follow. I admit I do have an abundance of quirky and weird tastes. The Loki and pain element is from one of the Thor: The Dark World interviews I think, I've listened to so many of Tom Hiddleston's interviews I can't be sure which it was anymore. I did make up Jane's liking some pain though. I just really, really hope that Jane won't have much to do with Thor: Ragnarok, the movie version of Jane is so…boring.

Also, I hope the rumour about Loki getting a girlfriend is just that since he's the only one in the Thor movies who's been asexual since he first appeared. It'd be disappointing to see Loki become part of yet another completely unnecessary couple. Plus how would they justify adding it to the plot or, even harder, making it real in only one movie unless they'd continue it in the Infinity War movies ? On those notes, I really don't think he needs a love interest, let him end the Thor movies as he began…alone. If they give him one that's going to start major shipping wars, maybe even resulting in death threats to Marvel from the more possessive people/shippers which we've managed to avoid so far.

Uh, sorry for the rant everybody, onto the chapter.

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><p><span><strong>Detain<strong>

Loki glided along the white stone hallway to stand behind Baron Wolfgang von Strucker to tsk, "Wolfgang, Wolfgang, Wolfgang. Even for a Midgardian you disappoint me."

Wolfgang startled causing his medals to jingle as he spun on his heel, adjusting his glasses to stare in disbelief. "L-Loki, w-what are you doing here ?"

'_The Baron has not changed so much since I first met him in the Hydra shelter with his little scientists.'_

"You remember six months ago when I visited you in England…when you lied to me about not knowing the Sceptre's location do you not ?"

The man rubbed his palms and forearms, "I didn't know where it was exactly at the moment. I-I tried to contact you last month b-but you had disappeared."

He reached out to take the pale-skinned Midgardian's chin, "God of Mischief though I am, I loathe being lied to by anyone. You knew where the Sceptre would be and refused to disclose the location, I let you live merely because you helped orchestrate my entry into Stuttgart's museum." A meagre shake was enough to make Wolfgang's teeth rattle. "A month ago, I was in Siberia gathering information on your whereabouts. Now, tell me, my good Baron, where the Sceptre is or I will rip you in half before the Asinine Avengers can hope to save you."

'_It feels so good not having to repress the urge to threaten people. You can't threaten people when they think you're a hero, it's a good thing I'm not a hero then. Bad Loki, stop that, getting thrilled by it is horrible.' _

That shake was enough to elicit a nervous chuckle from Wolfgang, "Droll as always I see Loki. I, ah, when I finished tests with the Sceptre I put in a secret room below the basement t-the entrance is in the control room."

Just then two explosions rocked the building, he moved to the side as a piece of larger stone fell from the ceiling. Wolfgang was not so lucky getting knocked out and falling as if Mjolnir had just hit him. _'That certainly made my mission far easier. After I bind him either Romanov or Stark can call those…United Gnats or whatever it is they call themselves to detain Wolfgang.'_

Stark's voice came over the communication spell, "I'm in the control room and, boy, do you look even uglier than normal through a camera, Loki."

"Even at my worst looking, you are still far more horrendous looking than I am, Stark. Retrieve the Sceptre and meet the rest of us outside. Is that simple enough for your pathetic brain ?"

"I'm surprised you even managed to say it and, yeah, I'll be out in a few." Stark cut off his link to the spell rather abruptly.

When he went outside with Wolfgang's body Romanov met him and called the United Nations. Apparently, someone would be collecting Wolfgang in a half-hour, all they had to do now was wait for Stark to show up with the Sceptre.

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><p>He shook his head, "Enough ! You are acting as children with something that you do not understand. Give the Sceptre back to me."<p>

Stark who hovered a good hundred or so feet in the air called down, "Well, Frosty the Reign-deer, you are an old man - 1 in 5, remember ?" whilst he threw the Chitauri Sceptre down to Rogers. In turn, Rogers jumped and deflected it towards Barton.

He growled summoning a fistful of his bright-emerald fire and threw it at the black-haired Midgardian. A smirk as Stark flailed, temporarily blinded by the fire that covered his helmet and blocked his interface.

Mere seconds passed as he teleported into mid-air, twisting to grab the golden sceptre/spear's haft and clutching it to his chest as he landed in a crouch amidst the snow. Briefly, as his eye caught it the blue light pulsed like a rapidly beating heart, his breath caught remembering how it had pierced his own. While he shook off the phantom pain guilt at his killing of Coulson welled, _'How many people did I kill with this ? It is blurry, ninety, a hundred or more ? Whatever the answer it is too many.'_

Thor's hand landed on his shoulder and a half-worried, "Are you sure that you can handle being so near it Loki ?" as he startled.

Of course, the lie slid off his tongue smooth as silver. "I have long cast aside any hold that it had over me." He twisted to look up at Thor, "Though I do not know how it works I still have more accumulative knowledge of it than any of you."

Snow crunched indicating that Barton had started backing toward the Quinnjet, "Just keep that thing away from me."

He called after the bowman, "You need not worry yourself, Barton you are useless to me." then rose to turn and start toward the jet with Thor.

They entered not a minute later before Thor went to check with Banner. Warily, he approached the ledge to put the Sceptre down. Despite his willing himself to put it down his hand refused to listen until he did some mental spell work. Nearly he threw it down to hiss, "You will not control me again."

Rogers entered with Romanov discussing Wolfgang's possible sentence as the Midgardians moved into the cockpit. Stark entered as well giving him an annoyed look as the jet's door closed then took one of the nearest seats.

Thor moved back from the storage/extra-seating area to say, "Something is bothering you."

Uncomfortably, he ran a hand through his hair before admitting, "Merely how easy this was. I think that the Sceptre wanted to come into our grasp. One thing that I know of it is that the Sceptre has a mind of its own, after all t-that is how it controls you."

Stark suddenly asked, "How's everybody feel about a party to celebrate ?"

Thor wondered, "Could Jane come as well ?"

"If she wants to I'm not going to stop her. Isn't she in Norway with that Professor Selvig guy though ?"

He turned around with a faint glare, "It would not kill you to postpone celebrations for three days. Besides then your girlfriend, oh, what is her name again, ah, yes…Pepper may come as well."

"You keep your hands off Pepper."

'_What an insecure idiot. I have Thor and Jane and they myself. Why ever would I want two blondes of similar shade in my bed when I prefer knowing by hair colour who I am having sex with ? It makes no sense.'_

Without conscious thought he rolled his eyes, "Stark the only seduction I do is when Romanov fails as such Pepper need not worry of me, you idiotic cock."

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><p>Truly, he had never cared much for enormous celebrations as they, and the drunkards that accompanied them eventually, were too loud. It was only because of Jane that he was here and not monitoring the laboratory and sceptre. <em>'Still my spells will go off if something worrying starts to happen.'<em>

Sunlight was warm on his face as he sat in the green armchair of a currently abandoned part of the lounge. He smirked as high heels scraped white-tile and finished turning to a new page of the spell book that rested in his lap. "I am glad to see that you have finally joined us, Jane."

Jane kept walking but she would be pouting, "How do you do that ?"

"Do you really want to know ?"

She leaned over his chair, he reached back tilting her chin down before he kissed her. As neither he nor Thor had time until now to see her or her them with her working it was heated and she blinked dazedly when it ended.

"Not really, no."

He smiled then murmured offhandedly, "You look lovely as ever my dear Midi." His gaze wandered over the mid-necked, short-sleeved and well-fitted cobalt blue scale-patterned dress that ended at her calves. She blushed while fiddling with the strap of her bronze purse as his hand down her throat to rest over her heart.

Loose brown-hair twined around her fingers before she replied, "If you say anything about my dress pattern I'm going to slap you Loki." Her blush deepened as she realized what she'd said.

Briefly, he pressed a kiss against her cheek before he whispered, "Unless you have turned into an exhibitionist since last I saw you this would not be a very good place for such, Jane."

Jane shivered, her breast rose and fell quite quickly under his hand. _'Hmm, I see that someone left her bra in our rooms.'_

Thor walked up his long coat fluttering as he wrapped an arm lightly around Jane's waist. "Too long has it been since we saw you Jane."

Her eyes fluttered before she stated, "Stop it both of you we're at a party for God's sake."

Deliberately, he grinned up at Thor, "Did you hear that ? She just said it was for our sake."

With a groan she lay her head on Thor's chest, "Oh for…damn it, you two. Arrogant guys, arrogant fucking guys, except you have good reasons."

'_I should hope that even devoid my centuries of sexual experience being as intelligent as I am qualifies me.'_

A jolt in his mind signalled that one of the containment spells had just been triggered. He shut the spell book, standing swiftly in disbelief as the rest of the spells went off in quick succession. _'What the Hel have those idiotic, bellowing bilgesnipes done ? I told them to leave the Sceptre alone ! Norns damn it all to Ragnarok.'_

Thor demanded, "Loki, what is wrong ?!"

He strode towards the exit, "I know not what Stark and Banner did but it is something they should not have. Thor you need to get the Midgardians out of here now. I am going to deal with whatever is happening in the laboratory."

Instead of wasting possibly precious time he teleported into the laboratory. Black and silver metals shone in the florescent lights as something, one of the Iron Legion with its face half-melted by acid, stood in the middle of the room. Ragged slashes indicated the robot's mouth and eyes, jerkily it tilted its head as if to look at him. Its voice was flat as it said, "You…you are Loki."

The gleam of the Sceptre in its lowered hand nearly distracted him, "Yes, I am and your name is ?" _'He cannot be allowed to leave with it. Whatever he does it would be disastrous.'_

"Ultron, I am Ultron. You tried to kill the humans, destroy the Earth."

Not knowing if it would work he cast an illusion and started circling the robot. "That was three years ago, I have changed in that time. I was not in my right mind when I did that. Just like the mortals I did what I needed to survive."

Another jerking movement as Ultron followed the illusion's opposing circle. "I have considered all videos of you. They are consistent - having killed hundreds of humans you are incredibly dangerous, prone to treachery and will not stop until all of the humans are gone. You must die so that the Earth is not menaced again."

He dropped the illusion, summoned a dagger and slammed it into the back of Ultron's head then pulled it out. Ultron turned, the free hand moving toward his throat as he ducked and rammed his shoulder into Ultron's chest. Fluidly, he moved in sync with Ultron as the robot turned agaom, backhanded Ultron simultaneously opening a deep, sparking score in the metal throat with the dagger. Quickly, he banished the dagger, broke Ultron's hand and forced the Sceptre from it.

Glass smashed behind him, he spun instinctively firing two energy bolts at the two rogue Legionnaires. Both dodged the bolts as they flew toward him, distracted as he was a metal fist collided with his back and sent him into the air before he tipped himself into a forward roll. With a snarl, he rolled to the side firing a bolt at Ultron to cart wheel upright. Blue energy arced through the air to dissipate uselessly against Ultron.

'_Frost Giants, how the Hel did that not work ? Did it lose power, am I not intent enough ? Wait, frost ! What if that is something that I can use ? B-but I've never used it without the Casket of Ancient Winters o-or that damned inferno heated rack. I-I don't even know if I can summon it by myself, I have to try as it might end this.'_

The Legionnaires grabbed his arms while Ultron took back the Sceptre. Nervously, he closed his eyes and breathed trying to seek out the deeply buried ice magic that had presented itself when he'd touched the Casket that first time or when he'd used it unconsciously on the rack. Metal creaked as Ultron grabbed him by the throat, the pressure was uncomfortable as it cut off his airway.

It was hard to resist the urge to thrash and kick instead he concentrated on the tiny well of frost that his consciousness had just brushed. No, it wasn't just a patch…it was deceptive as he moved into the well, it started widening and deepening into a snowy chasm. Instinctively, he retreated from it. _'I can't do this. What if I do and lose control ? What if Jane, Thor…someone touches me ? They'll freeze to death.'_

Rapid clicking on the floor before Jane shouted, "Loki ! Loki, no. Let him go you stupid thing !"

Ultron stated, "There is no logical reason to do so."

Thor, "Jane, they will only hurt you too. Loki…for Mother's sake speak if you still live."

Unconsciously, his eyes had opened at the sound of Jane's voice, she stood barely inside the room with Thor gripping her arm. The words, "Jane move, T-Thor, now." were almost impossible to form, much less to speak them.

Of course, his brother refused, "No, it could kill you."

Ultron moved slightly to look at Thor and Jane, "What reason do you have for him to continue living ? All he does is brutally murder people after manipulating them to his advantage."

It was Jane who stated, "He's saved people by manipulating the worst of us and by killing them."

"You commend his murdering of your species ?"

Annoyed, he snarled, "Now, Thor !" steeling himself before he metaphorically dove headlong into the chasm. It turned into an icicle-spiked clearing when he landed before the Casket. When he grabbed the stone handles ice poured into his veins turning his hands white-blue and he saw it start to coat Ultron just as the lightning hit. The heat was nothing compared to his torture, but it was still agonizing trying to sear the very flesh from his bones. Distantly, he heard himself screaming it faded as did his pain when he lapsed into darkness. Fortunately, this time no one woke him to being again.

* * *

><p>'<em>Bad pain, bad pain.'<em> That was the only thought in his head as his whole body ached, his throat, tongue and eyelids felt like sandpaper and his lungs felt about to collapse into ashen piles. Only by a dim margin indeed did he realize that he was laid across the lounge's couch.

Thor murmured, "I am sorry Loki, so very sorry. I swear I will not do it again not even if you beg me."

Since it was far too painful to physically wince, he settled for mentally while he opened his eyes. Respectively, blue and grey-eyes stared worriedly as Thor and Jane leaned over him. Jane nudged Thor, "Go get him some water or something won't you ?"

Thor nodded before reluctantly going to the bar. A soft hand smoothed his hair back while she bit her lip, "You'll be okay eventually, right ?"

A mere half nod sent short, but sharp waves of pain shooting down his spine. _'I've suffered far worse. I survived that, I can survive this without injury this as well.'_ Just the sight of water started soothing his throat when Thor crouched to press the glass against his lips. Perhaps it was because of his need of it that the water felt cooler than normal as it slid down his throat. Almost immediately the aches in his throat and body started to subside, the glass emptied far too soon for his liking. _'Here, at least, I am given it instead of taunted.'_

Rogers walked to take the empty glass from Thor and replace it with a full one. "You know Loki normally I wouldn't say you're hot but…"

His voice was incredibly hoarse, but he managed, "Have I not been in enough pain ?" After he took the new glass with hands that trembled and cautiously sipped it.

Jane chuckled, "Ooh, you got shut down, Steve."

"Hey, I'm just glad he's still alive. Wow, two years ago I never would've said that."

Slowly, he lowered the glass and stifled a cough, "Come now, Rogers even back then some part of you would have missed me."

"A thousand years maybe."

"I could have waited." He raised himself, half-turning to glare at Stark as the man meandered out from behind the bar. "Stark, tell me…what were you thinking ? I told you to leave the Sceptre alone and now that Ultron is loose and wants to kill me in the name of protecting Midgard !" By the middle of the sentence his voice had lowered to an even quieter tone than normal. Finally, the cough left his throat roughening it once again so he had to take another drink.

"I didn't want it to attack you, Loki…I just wanted Ultron to take out the bad guys first so we could have a break."

Rogers snorted and ran a tanned hand through his hair, "Oh, so you mean kind of like Hydra's Project Insight ? Yeah it worked so well there why not here too ? This is your problem Stark, you figure out how to solve it."

Banner admitted, "Actually, I, uh, I sort of helped too. Well, from what you guys have said both Loki and Thor injured Ultron pretty good so he's probably needing to lay low to disassemble one or two of the rouge Legion to get his new parts."

Irritated that it had yet to come up he asked, "What of the Sceptre ?"

Banner, "Ultron, err, he…escaped with it. But you completely shattered the two Legionnaires with that ice."

'_Incompetent Midgardians, you will be the death of me ! Vacuous Verdandi, they let him get away with one of the most dangerous weapons I've ever held !'_

As he swung himself off the leather couch Thor and Jane moved back. With a disbelieving shake of the head he put the glass down on the nearby table then went to the bathroom to see the damage done.

* * *

><p>Disgust and shock filled him as deep ruby-eyes stared at him from a white-blue skinned face that was charred with darkest sapphire; it was an approximation, surely, of what his birth form would have looked like after that first bout of torture, except that'd been so much worse.<p>

'_When I was little I always feared that Frost Giants hid under my bed, waiting for me to get out so they could kidnap me to Jotunheim and I would never seen Mother, Thor or Father again. Ha, little did I know that I am the monster - every way, but physically I killed Mother. I killed her because I wanted Odin to know what having everything he cared about be destroyed in one blow and know that he couldn't do anything. Like Laufey, like son, truly I would have made a wonderful Frost Giant.' _He shuddered and willed the mirror to shatter feeling grateful when it did.

His brother entered the wood-walled and marble-tiled bathroom. "It is not so horrible as you think."

Steel dented as he slammed a fist into the counter, "I look like a monster, Thor ! I was supposed to…if Laufey had not abandoned me I would've been one of them." With a glare he waved a hand before sighing in relief as what he considered his true appearance returned.

One of Thor hands cupped his nape and a thumb stroked his earlobe reassuringly. "Loki, yes, you were born Laufey's son but you were raised a son of Odin. You have more honour than myself in some ways, it goes without words that you are also far more canny. Even had you been the Prince of Jotunheim I still would have loved you utterly. Trust me when I say that neither Jane nor myself care what you look like. There is far, far more to you than beauty, Brother and we would not have a different way."

Unconsciously, a sigh left his lips and they returned to the lounge.

* * *

><p>It surprised him more to see that Pepper had finally arrived than that Jane and Pepper were talking as he and Thor walked up.<p>

"Wow, Pepper, you just ripped that Legionnaire in half that was so cool. I wish my knife play was half as good. No matter what Loki says, I suck at it and it doesn't help that only one guy wanted to spar with me back in Norway."

"I'm sure you're great with a knife, Jane, after all, all I can use knives for is the boring stuff. I was sort of able to defend myself before, but my Extremis has really come in handy."

'_Ripped in half ? Pepper looks far from strong enough. Ah, but how many people would say that I look the same ? Near everyone would say such. Humph, how can Jane say that she, uh, sucks at knife fighting ? She gives herself far less credit than she deserves.' _

He broke in with, "For the short while that I taught you and the even shorter time in which you have had to practice by yourself you are doing extraordinarily, Jane."

Jane startled and spun so that her purse thumped hard into her hip, "Stop doing that ! You like scaring me don't you ? Ouch."

A faint smile crossed his lips, "While I can't deny that I like doing it, I also cannot say that I utterly loathe making you scared of me."

Grey-eyes rolled, "You and your answer non-answers. Pretty sure you've dealt with your fair share of 'em, Pepper."

The blond-haired woman nodded, "I have and it's still annoying even when it's not Tony. You'd think a so-called God would have a solid answer."

It annoyed him, "I am not so-called; I am a God !" Merely because it'd been on his mind so much he put an illusion of Jotunheim into Pepper's mind - the bright-emerald moonlight, vast snowy mountains bathed half in shadow and tens of ruby-eyes glaring from those shadows.

Instead of being awed, she laughed, "Wow, this is great. You can do this whenever ?"

Almost he felt like crossing his arms and glaring at the mortal, Jane reached over to pat his arm. _'It used to be easy - a few spells and illusions mixed with lies so was one set. With all their televisions, airplanes and the internet they have no appreciation for true greatness anymore, humph.'_

Banner came over with a grin, "More like the God of Getting Thrown Around, don't you mean ?"

His reply to the shorter black-haired man was amused but he still blushed slightly. "You did exactly what I wanted you to."

"Sure I did, Puny, sure I did. Anyways, Pepper, does the God of Thunder know what Extremis is ?"

Thor who had chuckled now scratched at his beard, "I have heard it mentioned once, perhaps twice. Never has it been explained that I remember."

"I can heal faster, run faster and everything. Basically, I'm just like Steve, but I've got an ability he doesn't. Though, it might be easier if I just show you guys. I don't know if you wanna look away Loki seeing how you just got zapped."

Dismissively, he replied, "I doubt that it will be a problem."

A slightly unsure nod later, Pepper held out a hand, which turned reddish-orange as her veins filled with…fire.

That was not what he had expected. Through all his current time on Midgard he had studiously avoided prolonged sight, much less contact, with unnecessary fire. However, this time, he was dragged back into memory - he pressed weakly against the rough black-rock as flames licked his cheek and hair. Sweat, remnants of ice, whatever it was rolled down his face, he held his breath against the smoke. Sharp pain lashed through his right temple when a jagged piece of rock collided with it and he gasped. As blood dripped into his eye, through a break in the smoke he saw the Other on an overhanging ledge laughing riotously.

"Loki, hey, Loki, can you hear me ?"

Utterly confused, he tilted his head at the voice, it was just barely audible over the roar of the flames. Unconsciously, he nodded before wondering what use it was as the voice could not see him anyway.

Instead it seemed that the voice could, "Okay…good. Now, take a deep breath, deep breath, that's it. Hold it for a sec, exhale slowly and repeat. I don't know where you are, but I guarantee you are not actually there. You're here all nice 'n cozy in Avengers Tower worrying Thor, Jane 'n your friends to no end."

'_Friends ? I don't have any friends, no one wants to be my friend.'_

Despite the thought, eventually, the flames and the Other faded away to reveal Stark crouched at his feet. The words, "Well, someone knows their rightful place." left his lips before he thought them.

Stark rose with a half-hearted, "Oh, shut up. Try to help and this is the thanks I get."

He shifted slightly on the couch, raising an eyebrow, "Surely, I was hearing things when you said friends."

"Trust me you were because I didn't say friends, I said frenemies there's a difference, Loki. One means you don't normally wanna kill somebody, the other means you do twelve percent of the time."

Slowly, his gaze drifted around the room - sat on the couch beside him were Thor and Jane, on the far right was Banner who was examining the spell book while Pepper stood looking slightly guiltily on the left. Barton and Romanov were in the back by the bar and Rogers was meandering around the room.

As he leaned over to pick up the water glass he replied, "Well, then Banner must be one of my friends because I don't want to kill him. Speaking of such things, how are we going to find Ultron ?"

Romanov moved a bit closer. "Stark and I are going to contact a few people, as soon as anyone sees or hears anything about him they'll let us know. If we get a location confirmed by two or more of our contacts we'll move out."

While he took a sip of water Pepper started apologizing and he put the glass down before cutting her off. "No, I refuse to accept your apology. You told me it might be best if I did not see it, I ignored perfectly fine advice and paid for it."

Thor chuckled, "Well, Brother, whoever said you were wise ?"

Bewildered and incredulous, "You remember my saying that ?" _'I said that after I orchestrated then let in the ruin of his coronation and he remembers that sentence of all things ?'_

A hand landed on his shoulder as Thor grinned briefly, "It fits us both equally, it showed that you cared far more for me than the coronation itself. Looking back at how I acted, I agree with you that I was not ready to be King of Asgard and I am grateful for your intervening…though I would have picked a far different method than Frost Giants. Now, I think that some true sleep would benefit you."

While he got up a yawn left his lips then he retorted, "Instead of anticlimactic Frost Giants it would've been hazardously hammered Dwarves then ?"

"Perhaps they would have."

They walked past Banner and he accepted the spell book back. _'Enemies, lightning and friends, my, my. Yes, I could do with some sleep after all this healing.'_

* * *

><p>Pleasant warmth kept his eyes closed as he tried not to move in case one of the others were asleep. It made him smile because Jane breathed softly, her heart beating steadily against his ear and Thor pulled him closer. The dim sound of the television saying about Southern Africa caught his attention and he opened his eyes.<p>

On the television was an image of Ultron snapping a lighter skinned Midgardian's neck. From behind the camera there was a blood-curdling scream that was cut off by a sharp thud and said camera dropped to the deck of the ship. "An hour ago, the South African Coast Guard released footage of multiple robots of unknown manufacture slaughtering thirty illegal immigrants off the South African coast near Port Snell in hopes of identifying the maker of these robots. The South African government is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the detainment, subsequent questioning and possible arrest of the manufacturer. This is the second of such attacks; the first being 1 o'clock PM local time which resulted in the deaths of five people. Once again our condolences go out to the families of the deceased."

A sick feeling rose in his stomach, _'Illegal immigrants ? Selvig said that some people call them…aliens. Ultron is going after them because of me is he not ? He thinks they are in league with me somehow. I can't…this is terrible. Oh, Norns, is what that flash of red-eyes in the Waters of Sight meant ? Not the Frost Giants, but Ultron or perhaps it was both ?'_

One Jane's hands moved to rest between his shoulder blades to stroke his back. "I already know you're going to South Africa whether the others are going or not."

Slowly, he raised himself though the grey-eyes were understanding he still felt the need to explain. "I have to, Jane, before I came to live you I would have brushed this aside as near insignificant." He reached up to cup her cheek, "Ultron is going after them and he could just as easily come after you for defending me."

Jane's voice rose, "I am not helpless, you taught me how to fight ! Clint goes along and he's just a Midgardian like me so why can't I go too ?"

His hand dropped while he blinked in confusion. _'What ? Whenever did I imply that she was helpless ?'_

Thor's arm slid from around his waist and their love answered, "Barton has experience in battle, Jane which you do not. He knows that he will not freeze at a moment which could cost him his life."

Brown-hair gleamed against the white pillow, her body tensing as she spat, "So, what ? Why does that matter when you and Loki treat dying in battle as if it's one of the best things that could happen ?"

Thor sat up and took Jane's hand, "Jane, it is not that we go into battle wanting to die, we want to live as much as any other does, but we were taught that you could only reach Valhalla by dying honourably. It is like how you were raised, Jane, except that in your former belief you had to do many things that are either not easily done in Midgard these days or are illegal to do in order to go to…Heaven."

"Heaven is bigoted, at least, Valhalla doesn't care what you did in life only how you died. Just tell me, is my inexperience the only reason you don't want me coming with ? I have to get experience somehow, you know."

It was his turn to respond again, "If you truly want to become a warrior of Midgard there are far simpler and much safer ways then going up against robots that are far stronger and tougher than Midgardians. Thor and I, we had to shed our first blood in a hunt before we were allowed into battle. If you do fight today then I beseech you let it be here in defense of the innocent and not among the corrupt. Unlike Thor, Rogers and Stark, myself, Barton and Romanov, we are murderers. The blood it follows us, it floods the path and ever rising tries to drown us for our past mistakes. I may not have killed those men, but they still may have died because of something that I did. That truly is why I do not want you to come with Jane because I do not want you to become another mistake, I want this heartbeat to last as long as possible."

Jane hugged him and he returned it, "Take care of Thor and take the cell phone with too. I want you to call me when you get there or shortly after, Loki Odinson."

Reluctantly, he let go, "I swear that I will, Jane Foster."

He slid off the bed, pulled on his leathers, picked up the phone and banished it to his chambers in the palace until needed; he started through their chambers towards the elevator and roof. _'Whatever it is my wyrd is my wyrd and Mother help me, I swear that I will help take Ultron apart for what he has done.'_


	4. Self

**Self**

Loki looked around the vibranium factory's entrance hall, "This place…it doesn't impress me much. All…why are you laughing ?!" _'Nothing I said is funny ! Ugh, what is going on with them ?'_

Stark snickered, "Oh, it's nothing just you unknowingly paraphrasing an old song."

The room darkened as clouds covered the sun, everything was steel so it was not as if it could get much darker. Farther inside the building something hummed, immediately, his senses tried to focus on it, but the excessive noise was too loud. "Well, be quiet and focus."

'_Is Ultron still here ? Did he and the Legion leave already ? We need to find them.'_

Barton, "At least, he didn't say shut up…"

Romanov, "And drive."

He sighed then scrubbed at his face, _'How did they ever become heroes when they cannot stop either making or insinuating jokes for two seconds ? This is embarrassing. Why did I become an Avenger again ? Oh, right, because the observatory in Norway doesn't trust me. It was only the illusion of a giant sea bass crashing through the telescope, for the Norns sake ! I thought it was funny. Pff, Midgardians.' _

Rogers also didn't stand for the levity. "Everybody shut up, we're here to avenge those immigrants not to make dumb jokes. Nat, Clint, you two take the front lower and upper sections. Thor, Loki, you take the upper and lower right wing. Tony and I'll take the left wing, when you're finished you come back here, everybody got it ?"

With a short nod each, he and Thor started off, he couldn't help noticing that there were so many little red lights that looked far too much like Frost Giant eyes for his liking. Quite suddenly, up on the corrugated mesh of the catwalk something creaked. He stopped tilting his head in a yawn before brushing a hand over the left side of his shirt to tap the bottom strip of silver.

In response, Thor lowered his chin, rubbed the right side of his beard and kept walking forward.

A second passed as he implemented the illusion of him continuing with Thor into any minds in the room that done he turned and jumped onto the catwalk. Rather swiftly, he caught up to see a Midgardian boy with white-blond hair and darkened-tips in a silver, long-sleeved shirt following Barton and Romanov.

He'd been feeling rather tricksy earlier and, well, it would alert the others too; needless to say, it worked. To Silver's view he found the ceiling along with the catwalk suddenly collapsing; startled, Silver let out a squawk then threw himself off to crash and roll to a stop feet from Barton.

Stark's link came to life, "Guys, something's wrong with Steve, he's not responding. Steve, where are you going ? Steve, Steve, come back here !"

Bow at the ready Barton demanded of the boy, "Who are you ?"

Instead of answering Silver got up with a demand of his own, "It was your people who killed my parents ! Why do you help Stark ?"

At Stark's and Rogers's apparent plight along with the words, "Killed." and, "Parents." both Barton's bow and resolve seemed to waiver.

'_Is Barton ever going to reveal his little family to anyone who is not myself, though that was unwilling on both sides, or Romanov ? Yet he calls Thor and the others his friends.' _

Silver used Barton's lapse to lunge up at the bow, but he threw the throwing knife which he'd unconsciously summoned which cleanly pierced the boy's hand. "The next exits your heart little sliver shadow."

Thor suddenly growled through the link, "Loki, a scarlet-clad witch is trying to use her meagre magic on the Mighty Thor. If it is anything like what I am resisting then the Captain is seeing something terrific. I can resist for longer, but it is distracting and I can't shatter the magic with even Mjolnir."

'_Do I stay here to help them or is Thor in worse need ? Jane did say to take care of Thor and I did swear…,'_

Romanov decided for him, "Just go help Thor, Loki. We'll deal with Quicksilver here."

He spun and rushed back to where his brother once was, his gaze darted everywhere almost fearful as Thor was nowhere to be seen. Annoyed at himself, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he went a bit farther then on a whim turned into a hall. The sight that greeted him was disturbing - Thor knelt on the floor, shaking and sobbing as he must have when Mother died.

Something flashed briefly before his eyes, the stone of Sanctuary surrounded by thousands of meteorites, which just as suddenly changed to Asgard's inner throne room. A want for retribution presented itself, he willed a chunk of wall to rip out and slam into the red-haired girl whom he'd walked above while she failed to hide in the shadows.

As she gasped and fell he turned to ask, "Wolfgang experimented on you with the Sceptre did he, O' Scarlet Witch ?"

She pushed herself up with a dazed glare, "He helped us so that we could get revenge on Stark."

The reply that left him was snide, "Did Stark kill your parents in person ? Else wise I think you waste your efforts, little one."

"No, but he sent the missiles and they were gone, just gone ! Pietro and I waited for hours and it did nothing. I would've rather died than lay there so cowardly."

Vindictively, at which of them exactly he was not sure, he spat, "Be glad that you have someone else to blame for your parents death, I have no one else to blame for my mother ! Release my brother, now, and I may pity you enough to let you join them."

The scarlet-clad witch stumbled upright as flames flared in his mind. Said flames, along with Thor suddenly scrambling away, distracted him. He had to credit her for using it to an advantage because suddenly he found himself in the throne room…and he didn't want to believe what he saw.

Sat atop the throne was himself whilst Odin languished at the bottom of the stairs, Huginn and Muninn already lay still in death. His other self's voice was cold, "It didn't have to happen this way. If you had not hidden my true parentage from me, if you had actually loved me, I never would have made that deal with Laufey, Thor wouldn't have gone to Midgard, I would not have gone mad and Jane couldn't have found the Aether thus Mother would still live. All you had to do was a few simple things, but no that was too much, you were always too busy being the All-father to be my father !"

A brief headshake, "I know what I did was terrible, but that does not mean that I do not love you…I do love you, Loki."

Silver flashed in the sun as his other self flicked a throwing knife over his knuckles, "No, you don't ! You have always resented saving me, after all, if you hadn't you would've listened when I told you Sif was constantly belittling me and done something. It is time to put all that to rest like your oh-so convenient Odinsleep when you revealed everything. Well, now, you can sleep…forever."

Though it was useless, he still threw himself between the two with an unconscious, "Father, no !"

Horror, disgust and shame washed through him as he twisted to see the knife pierce Father's throat, as the heartache and sorrow faded from the bright-blue eye.

"No, no." Slowly, he reached out trying to cup the wrinkled cheek, but his hand fell right through.

A rustle of cloth had him looking back up at the throne, the other self sauntered down the stairs looking directly at him.

Its eyes were cold enough that not even the tiniest speck of mischief or semblance of life remained. "It would not take much to turn you into me. Maybe it will be one word from Stark at the wrong time about your many insecurities and you'll snap. Perhaps you'll set him on fire or just rip his intestines out, it'll be something slow such that you can enjoy his suffering either way. Of course, the others won't have that nor will you as you'll be caught up in the freedom and won't even notice what's happening until it's over. No more turning back - Banner, Rogers, Romanov, Barton…all dead, and you were just starting to like Barton. Thor refusing to fight leaves in disgusted sorrow remarking that he was wrong, that you are more Laufeyson than Odinson and you always will be."

Before the rant had even gotten to the third sentence he was already in denial, shaking and looking away, trying not to listen. "Never, I will never turn into you."

A hand grabbed his chin and wrenched his head up, he'd never known the extent of sheer cruelty and evil his face was capable of; it was terrifying to see what those eighty people must have. "Even if it's not Stark that breaks you, it will be Jane. You know, what with all the cuddling, not to mention fucking that you, and Thor, do with her, I would be surprised if she has even five years left. Someday, someday, you will turn into me…to protect yourself."

His own smug, mocking laughter echoed as the vision ended. _'That weakness, the dizziness, those fevers that she has. Is that not radiation sickness ? Oh, Norns, she's going to die.'_

Dimly, he noticed Thor's cheek pressed against his as he summoned the cell phone. Of course, he forgot how to unlock the stupid plastic and glass thing while his hands shook too much to hold it steady. Frustration made him want to just hurl it at the wall before curling up to cry, except Thor took it, unlocked it and handed it back instead. _'Exactly when I need it he learns to gentle for technology.'_

He leaned slightly away as he looked through the little, uh…applications for the one with the phone's numbers. Since their two cell phones alternated between himself and Jane the top one was labelled: "Home/Jane".

After he pressed the faux-button it felt forever until she answered with an incredibly sleepy, but happy, "H-hey, Loki. So, how's S-South Africa, mmm ?"

Guilt flooded him as he realized, _'It is around four o'clock in the morning in the United States isn't it ? I-I didn't even consider it.'_ Jane's enthusiasm bolstered him slightly, but didn't stop his voice from cracking, "N-not so well."

Her tone became alert, "You and Thor are okay ? I mean you're not gushing blood like the time Darcy slammed into the ice and cut her head then complained it looked a lot like melted cherry popsicles are you ?"

'_I'm not going to tell her that I was the one who made Darcy trip in the first place.' _A weak chuckle left his lips, "W-we're fine, Jane, physically, at least. B-but, I, you…"

Too easily he could imagine the worry on her face, the creased brow and thinned lips.

"What is it ?"

The tone that left his lips was reflexively numb, "You are dying from the radiation. We're killing you."

It shouldn't have surprised him that her own was gentle, but it did. "And you don't think you can handle it."

He swallowed hard, leaning into Thor, "I am sorry, Jane."

"No, no, it's all right I understand. I'd be upset if it was you guys getting sick too. Even if I'd never met Thor or you, Loki, I'd still be dying, so, let me die because of something I love. I'd much rather die of radiation poisoning with you and Thor than alone and not having done half the incredible stuff that I've done, that I've seen. Before you ask, yes, that includes you."

They broke into laughter and he managed a half-smile, "I love you, Jane."

"I love you too, Loki, come back to me soon."

As he replied, "We will." Thor pressed a kiss against his forehead. "Thor wants to say something too." Then he handed the phone to Thor who also exchanged an, "I love you." with Jane before the call ended shortly after. _'What happened to Rogers and Stark ? Did Romanov and Barton subdue Quicksilver ? Where did the scarlet witch disappear to ?'_

* * *

><p>When they walked back into the entrance hall only Rogers, Barton and Romanov waited for them. Romanov and Rogers were talking, "So, you and Tony went outside to check on Bruce, but he wasn't there ?"<p>

Rogers nodded, "Exactly, I think that, uh, Scarlet Witch got to him too because Tony did an internet search and it showed the Hulk running toward Johannesburg. Tony took off after him and told me to wait for you guys. We can rest after making sure no one dies in Johannesburg and explain the rest of what happened here on the way over."

Briefly, he suppressed a growl then trudged over to the doors. With a single kick he sent them flying off their hinges to land with a cha-chunk fifty feet away in a plume of sand.

Just then Stark's link flared to life, "Loki, Thor, one of you get your super durable asses over here to Johannesburg and help me calm the Hulk."

"Give me a reason to get my, err…super durable…ass over there, Stark."

"Easy, I'm getting mine beat, he's just getting angrier and somebody's gonna get hurt whose not me."

"Fine, tell me where you are…Copper Man."

"Can't you just imagine me and Bruce 'n poof over here, Pokey ?"

Anger at Stark and fear of his vision flooded through him. "How many of your idiotic names have given me now ?!"

"Only three, now, are you coming here or not ?"

"If you insist, Stark." Then he teleported to stand before the Midgardian.

Green rushed at him, he willed the Hulk to stop and the green giant jerked to a halt and took to snarling, "Killed Betty, killed Betty." while reaching for him.

It was impossible not to remember being slammed into the lounge's floor and he flinched. Being in the all-around weakened state he was, it would be impossible to hold the other shape shifter at bay for long. "Banner, Betty Ross is perfectly fine, she is alive. If you merely calm down and shift back you can call her and confirm it."

Yet another snarl from the Hulk before he found himself swatted and crashing through a window, rolling on the floor. Glass crunched as he pushed himself up and opened the communication link with Thor. "We could use your help, Brother, from my current vantage there are police coming and Banner is getting ready to run again whilst Stark is standing around."

"I will arrive shortly."

Glass tinkled and two dark-brown skinned women rushed up on either side of him. The shorter one whose height was about 5'3 and had light-grey eyes asked, "Are you all right, Loki ?"

"I am well, yes." Something she'd said struck him and a genuinely confused, "You…know me ?" left him as he smoothed glass from his hair and climbed to his feet.

'_How do they know me ? For that matter, what did Ultron mean by videos there were no Soul Screens visible in the laboratory when we were there.'_

The curly-haired girl blinked up at him, "Wow, you are really freaking tall in-person. Oh, I'm Asha Goodman and that's Cecilia Eckhart, we're with the UN, you and the other Avengers are investigating that robot too, aren't you ?"

His gaze flitted past the 5'7 Cecilia as Thor landed beside Stark. "It is good to meet you, Asha Goodman, Cecilia Eckhart."

Asha looked over at Cecilia then said, "Just calling us Asha and Cecilia is fine."

Shortly, he nodded and started to walk the fifty feet towards the broken window, "Very well. Yes, Asha, we are trying to find Ultron among other things. Now, how do you know of me ?"

Cecilia answered, "Well, for me, my sister-in-law, Helen, she was in the Philippines a few weeks ago when you took out all those tanks and she got a video of it. I just have to ask, Loki, how do you not know you're on Youtube ? I mean you, and that ass, are pretty damn famous on it."

The police had tightened their circle around Thor, Banner and Stark as he stepped through the window. "I have heard of this Youtube, it sounds idiotic and, according to Jane, it is full of cats as well. Most cats are silt-eyed balls of fur and anger that try to claw me for being too cold." _'For being strange, I don't care to know what that place is like.'_ He shouldered his way through the crowd to stand next to the blonde.

Thor was saying, "Banner, all that you need do is prove it to yourself by defeating this magic which plagues you. Betty Ross does not want you to destroy this city and it's people, she knows that you are strong enough to control this without hurting anyone else. Do you wish to terrify these people and prove General Ross right for wanting to contain you ?"

Banner shook his head looking maddened, confused and afraid, his eyes reddened by Scarlet Witch's magic.

Slowly, Thor reached out to take Banner's wrist, "Show us friend Banner, are you beast or are you man ?"

Cecilia distracted him by asking, "Where's everybody else ?"

Still angry, anxious and exhausted he wanted the day to end and it was barely past ten in the morning. "On the Quinnjet wherever the fuck it is !" _'Can we not just finish this and find food ? Wolfgang likely has food right now, after what we went through we deserve some too.'_

Over the link Romanov answered, "We're right here, Loki." before the Quinnjet hovered above them.

He and Stark, "Can we get food ?"

Asha walked up to stand beside him, "I'm pretty sure you guys would be welcome to have a bite at the embassy if you want."

"That sounds nice."

* * *

><p>A frown crossed his lips and he slapped Thor's hand away from the last pancake. "That is mine, thank-you. You have already had five of them, a whole sausage, three pieces of toast and two of those hashbrowns to yourself."<p>

Thor withdrew his hand to lap at his knuckles, "You had three pancakes, half a sausage and four hashbrowns, even with your recent healing that is more than you normally eat. So, forgive me for thinking that you were finished, Brother."

Surlily, he pulled the pancake onto his plate and started buttering it with a faint glare. "You are not forgiven."

Across from him Barton was drinking coffee, putting down his mug the man sounded disturbed. "Two years and I still can't believe how much food you guys must go through. That's gotta be one heck of a grocery bill, never mind picking all that stuff up at once. Don't tell me you make Jane do the shopping."

He rolled his eyes, retorting, "No, that would incredibly stupid, we have the car do the shopping instead. I do the cleaning while Thor and Jane shop, whenever I go with I hardly have to do anything because the buffoons think embarrassing themselves will impress Thor."

'_It was quite fun watching that twenty year old smash a watermelon on her head because a hawk landed on it…so she thought. Ah, that really was lovely. One does not make lewd advances at, and rub themselves all over, my brother and expect to get away with it. Not to mention that she called Jane a whore too, the stupid...gah, it still makes me angry.'_

Rogers poked at a bit of scrambled egg before replying, "That's what happens when you have a near perfect metabolism, Clint. You need to buy a lot to eat a lot and keep your energy up. They're just lucky they can get drunk if they want."

Asha who sat on his left, and played with an empty plate, wondered, "So, anyways, what happened with that Quicksilver guy, Barton ? Romanov electrocuted him with a baton then…?"

Barton gazed around the blue/grey room, "He shook it off, before he blurred halfway across the room to pick up my bow and looking just about ready to shoot me. Scarlet Witch appeared on the catwalk, Quicksilver dropped my bow and they booked it out of there like the whole Chitauri Army was on their asses. Loki, you said she confirmed that Baron von Strucker experimented on them, yeah ?"

He nodded his gaze drawn outside to see a few people walking around outside the Embassy's gates. _'Whatever is going on down there ? Some protest about our presence no doubt.' _"She did and she has a grudge against Stark because some of his missiles killed her parents. It seems, Barton, that you and I will never be untangled from the Chitauri Sceptre so long as it exists."

"Humph, tell me about it. You, me, those two Sokovians, von Strucker and Ultron all of us are tied to the Sceptre somehow."

A sigh left his lips, his appetite disappeared as the Sceptre flashed through his mind. "All this time I looked for it, once I nearly retrieved it, but for Wolfgang then finally, finally we had it and now it is the source of most of our problems. I admit that I am sick of spending near all my thoughts on the Sceptre, I would rather forget it for a few days were it possible. I would much rather return to looking for Barnes instead of this increasingly futile search for Ultron. With Barnes, at least, we know that last month he was somewhere in the Philippines. Once again we have no clue where Ultron is and honestly not even I can lie were we to find him today I could not fight not after what I saw."

When he looked back at everyone else even Thor and Rogers seemed resigned, at the far end of the table Banner was still stressed from his vision.

Barton again, "Well, I've got a place we could stay at for a few days, it's remote as anything so Ultron wouldn't be able to find us when he's looking for Loki unless someone tipped him off. I really think we could all do with a break right now, what about everybody else ?"

It wasn't a surprise when everyone agreed, they made their way outside to where the Quinnjet was. As the jet was parked before the gates the protesters had noticed them and were shouting about their presence being death. Grim thoughts floated through his head while he followed Thor, Barton and the others into the aircraft. Asha and Cecilia promised to help them in looking for Ultron as the door closed. On a whim he walked to sit in the co-pilot seat.

Rogers looked over in confusion, "What're you doing up here ?"

"Well, I may have to fly one of your planes 300 years from now."

As Rogers started pushing buttons and flipping switches, the blue-eyed Midgardian replied, "Yeah, I'm sure they won't change a bit in that time."

"If they do I'll merely have to find someone else to teach me."

The jet lifted off, as they got higher and started over the city he looked down and saw the mall he'd been thrown into. It became obvious to him that Stark and Banner had gone through quite a few of the upper levels before he'd teleported in.

Everyone was silent for a while either trying to enjoy the silence or possibly mulling over their visions. Rogers broke the silence by asking, "Loki, what's it like being trained to kill since you're young ? I mean almost all I've done since before I was frozen and after I've been killing people, it's like the war never ended because I don't know how to do anything else. So, I can't imagine what it must be like for you."

He rubbed at his right cheekbone, "Being trained from birth to kill does not change that the first kill is the hardest. In Asgard as you noticed when you first met Thor it's generally kill first, ask questions later, especially about personal things. We were raised to think of Midgardians as lesser to us. Why would we not when on the whole you are slower, weaker and stupider than us ? You know how long it took me to change my opinions regarding you and the others. It is still easy to kill Midgardians, to part of me it will always be too easy." _'I am ashamed of myself. At least, I killed Ivanov to protect Kandinsky that is something.'_

They flew through some cumulonimbus clouds back into the near blinding sun as Rogers looked over. "Do you mind…I mean, is that what your vision was about ?"

"Have you learned yet that one's greatest enemy is not any outward threat, but ones self ?"

"Yeah, of course. But, still, Loki, you've come a long way since I met you for the first time."

It amused him inordinately, "What you think is our first meeting was, in fact, not our first. Though, you never saw me, I saw you when you were in the process of freeing Barnes, hence my comment in Stuttgart."

From the seat behind him Romanov wondered, "So, how many historic events have you and Thor been part of, Loki ?"

Thor in turn, "What do you mean by historic ? We never paid much attention to Midgardian history."

He turned in the chair to look at Thor, "Do you remember that little plague they had in…hmm, I do believe it was the 1300s ?"

Thor rubbed at his left forearm and nodded, "I remember, yes. Mother wanted to try to help them, but Father forbade it. We went down to see how things were and when we returned…"

"Father put us under armed guard in our rooms for two weeks so that we could not interfere again." It bewildered him to see Thor smile for seemingly no reason.

However, it explained itself when Thor added, "You just called Father that for the first time in three years."

"Oh, I suppose I did. You know I always thought that I wanted to kill him…until I saw myself do it."

Stark broke in, "You know what Odin seems like a real jerk - I mean, c'mon guys, he caused nearly all our problems by hiding the Tesseract here on Earth and not telling Loki he was adopted at an age that wouldn't have resulted, in around about way, in two attempted genocides. Plus, he wouldn't give us that Urdu metal or whatever Thor called it too, not even to protect the only family he has left."

Rogers answered, "Yeah, and if he hadn't hid the Tesseract here or if he'd told Loki earlier we wouldn't be a team now because things would've been different."

"It would've been better ! If you'd never become Captain America than the botched serum never would've come about, thus it never would've affected Bruce so the radiation would turn him into the Hulk. If Odin had put the Tesseract somewhere else you'd never have become Captain America. If that hadn't happened then that Schmidt guy wouldn't have captured Barnes and he wouldn't have ended up as the Winter Soldier. This is all Odin's fault because of his wonderful planning and impeccable parenting ! Uh, slight offence meant, guys." Stark quickly adding the last with a very nervous look between him and Thor.

With a faint shrug, he got up from the co-pilot seat and responded, "I am not, as you actually have quite reasonable points for once."

Thor was slightly more ambiguous in his reasoning, "Say such again, friend Stark, and your suit will not save you from my lightning."

"Uh, good, that's good, I think."

Content to ignore Stark and Rogers quickly resuming bickering fest, he walked over to the bench and sat. _'Wherever we end up I hope that my and Thor's room is far from Stark's. Stark sounds like an adolescent bilgesnipe in heat and that's just his nightmares. A few days where no one is going to try to kill us is all I ask. Is that too much ?' _


	5. Recuperate

_Author's Note:_ Thanks to _OnePiece Slayer_ and _Dreamfishie_ for the favourites, _ascella star_ for the follow.

I don't know the name of Barton's daughter so I made something up.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Recuperate<strong>

Loki couldn't blame Thor for asking, "Barton…who are these people ? What are they doing in your house ?" since if he hadn't known it would've been strange to him too.

His gaze wandered over Barton and the man's family - Laura who was heavily pregnant, the seven or eight-years old Cooper Clintson and the little blond girl whose name he couldn't remember. _'I think it is…Eunice ? No, that sounds wrong and much too long, hmm, Ethel ? There was definitely an "E" and a "Th." in it somewhere. Maybe, ah, Edith ? No, no, not that either. Argh, just like I can't remember the name of that little girl…the witch those idiots would have hanged without my interference. What was her name, what was it ? She looked similar to Scarlet Witch with hair the same shade of red and in the eyes.' _

Plainly irked and glad for an excuse, he willed Stark to fall into Romanov before the Midgardian could start mocking Thor. "Isn't it obvious, Brother ?"

Thor's eyebrows rose then furrowed as the blonde looked from Barton to him and back. "He lied to us ?"

The walls were white, the floor a lightwood over which were scattered a good many children's toys. From the corner of his eye, he saw Thor sweeping something out of sight with a foot. "Oh, no, he merely omitted the fact of his family to you, Rogers and Stark."

Stark threw a hand into the air, "Wait a minute, wait just a freaking minute ! You told Loki, Loki, of all people about your having a family before the rest of us ?"

It was Laura who responded, "It's not as if he wanted to tell Loki before you, but it came up when they were brainwashed. Even then, Clint still managed to swear Loki to secrecy about it, so you can't blame Loki for keeping his honour. On that note, thank-you, Loki, for saving my husband."

Perplexed, he found himself asking, "Really, just like that ? You're not going to throw a fit, lament that I still live to possibly threaten him again, etcetera, etcetera, first ?"

The blond woman chuckled, "Why, did you want me to ?"

"No, no, Mother said that such stress would be incredibly detrimental to yourself and the littlest one. It is just…that is what near anyone else would do in your situation."

"I'd like to think I'm not most people. Did anyone want something to drink, eat ? We've got water, coffee, tea and soda. What'll you have ?"

Thor started saying, "May I-"

He cut Thor off with a glare, "Thor, is going to have water. The first, and last, time that he had something so strongly caffeinated Thor caused a flash flood from hyperactivity and tracked mud across my newly cleaned floor !"

Laura smiled, "Don't I know that feeling, eh, Cooper ?"

Cooper gave a sheepish smile in turn, "Sorry, Mom." The brown-haired boy rushed up to him, "Can you show us some magic ?"

Barton sighed and rebuked his son, "Cooper, what do we say when we want someone to do something for us ? If you don't say it then Loki isn't even going to consider it."

"Can you please show me some magic, Loki ?"

A second's pondering later, he replied, "Even if I were so inclined, young Clintson, I am tired and would very much appreciate a cup of tea."

Grey-eyes blinked up at him, "Is that a yes ?"

For some reason he did not want to see the child's disappointment. Therefore, Loki waved it off with, "Sometime later, perhaps."

"Oh, okay." Cooper rushed over to Rogers exclaiming, "Guess what ?"

"I don't know, what ?"

"I found a cat in the barn ! Did you wanna see it ? C'mon, c'mon !"

Before Rogers could respond Cooper took the man's hand and started pulling him out the door through which they'd just entered.

'_Of course, when I come here someone must find a cat.'_

Laura asked Barton to show him, Thor, Banner and Stark around while Laura…ha, Elspeth Clintdaughter and Romanov went into the kitchen. Barton showed them the lower floor that apart from the entrance and kitchen consisted solely of a laundry room and one bedchamber. The chamber had one window facing the barn, sunlight fell upon the beige-blanketed bed. In the back of his mind he felt magic and his skin prickled.

Instinctively, he made his way to the closet prompting Stark to make a terrible joke about his, "Going back in the non-magical closet, too bad it wasn't a wardrobe or we could see if Narnia was real." whatever that nonsense meant.

Once again, ignoring Stark he cast a minimally draining detection spell. It was in turn revealed to him that the spell carved into the closet's back wall was one of wide-ranging secrecy and Celtic in origin or otherwise a modified form of it. _'Some of those druids could almost match me in a fight. Obviously, whomever Barton had build this place wanted to keep them safe. Well, I would not be a good sorcerer if I let this spell fade away would I ?'_

Loki turned from the closet proclaiming, "This is my and Thor's chamber."

"You actually found Narnia ?" Stark tried and failed to nudge him aside to end up hissing, "Ouch, shoulda named you Frosty Boulder for all you move when you don't wanna."

Back in the entrance there was the sound of a door opening, a quick swish-thump and a very angry yowl.

He heard Rogers ask, "Uh, Laura, is Smokey supposed to be in the house ?"

"Unless someone wants him outside, it'll be fine."

Rogers nearly plodded into the chamber's doorway blinking in confusion then asking, "Did you want him out, Loki ?"

"Clintson can have his cat, but if it claws me I reserve the right to appropriate retribution."

Rogers scratched at his chest, "Okay, then. Since it's crowded in here anyone want to help me with helping in the kitchen ?"

Banner replied that he would help for a bit before making his way out of the chamber. With Barton in the lead, followed by Stark, Thor and himself they followed out the small corridor and moved not four feet over to go up the stairs to the second floor. It was hard for him to concentrate as his mind kept wandering, mostly back to the Celtic magic and because of that to the little girl. One thing he did manage to listen to was that there was only one bathroom between all of them and it was sequestered in the master bedchamber.

They were passing the master bedroom to go downstairs again, when suddenly he remembered the name blurting, "Angelika !"

Everyone turned to look at him and Stark gasped, "Your cheating on Thor and Jane ?"

"No, you idiot, Angelika Falk was the name of the German witch and falcon shapeshifter I saved from death in the 1600's. Scarlet Witch looked very similar to her, I didn't realize it earlier because of my state."

It genuinely startled him when Banner wondered, "You and Thor were just all over Germany weren't you ?"

His eyes darted to the purple and black-clad Midgardian and he took a calming breath. "All of Midgard to be precise. I wonder if it is just coincidence that they look similar as after even a short while the Midgardians blur together."

From the foot of the stairs Romanov called, "Get your butts down here or the drinks are going down the sink."

'_Not my tea, it's not.'_

* * *

><p>He hung his long coat over the chair's back and sat down, picking up the white cup and glancing at Thor he asked, "Did you want to try some tea…finally ?"<p>

Thor rubbed one of his forearms staring into the middle-distance for a moment. "I still think it will merely taste like odd water."

With a sigh, he handed it to his brother. "Perhaps to you it may, but you promised. I would be happy were you to manage even a sip."

It was impossible not to notice Laura looking around the room, at the table where every spot was taken leaving Stark and Banner to lean against a counter. Laura hummed, "So, what's the story behind Thor's not liking tea ?"

A faint chuckle left his lips, "The incredibly short version is that I wanted to do something nice for Mother's birthday, so I brought breakfast and tea to her and Father's chambers. I put the tray on the mirror's ledge, Mother and I talked for a bit, she asked what tea it was, I replied something about how it was Jarl Anders's favourite and he had recommended it to us. Thor came in complaining that tea tasted of bilgesnipe urine, Father asked if Thor knew what bilgesnipe urine actually tasted like and when Thor replied otherwise told him only to use similes that he knew were true. Thor didn't know how Mother and I liked it, nor did he want to try any, but Mother made him promise that one day he would."

Romanov sat on Thor's other side and shook her head, "That's not very short."

"It is still much shorter than if I told it to you in detail."

Cooper piped up, "What's a-a bilgesnipe ? It sounds disgusting."

One of the only times that Father had worried for him flashed through his mind - he and Thor had gotten separated by a bilgesnipe stampede. How he'd fallen and managed to crawl into a ground scrape terrified and helpless as the enormous, musty smelling, scaled and antlered beast had started snuffling closer. How Father had scared it away, had started calling for him sounding utterly terrified. When he'd crawled from the scrape, crying Father had scooped him up and told him it would be all right, that Father loved him. Afterwards Father, Thor and himself had all had to bathe multiple times just to try to get the bilgesnipe stench off.

Loki shook himself from the memory and startled when Smokey jumped onto his lap. As he patted the cat warily while replying, "They truly are, little one and they are just as dangerous. Be thankful that Midgard cannot support such enormous creatures."

Cooper didn't respond, instead staring off trying to imagine what a bilgesnipe looked like.

Thor finally took a short drink of tea, pulling a disgusted face before handing it back to him. "You can keep your tea, Loki, if I want for water then I will merely have water."

Now, he was content to just drink his tea, pet the grey cat and listen to the others talk about small things. The headache, which had slowly built in the back of his mind, suddenly worsened so that he decided to excuse himself and take a shower.

It was nice to feel the water run over him. Really, it was absurd now to think that Jane had to persuade him with some new books to try the shower since it was so different from any other method he'd used regularly. _'Well, it's far more soothing than having a quarter-full bucket of sub-zero water dumped on my head when I'd finally, finally, gotten to sleep.'_

* * *

><p>He turned his face into the shower's spray, unlike in the 8x3 cell there wouldn't be mold from standing water. Said mold was part of why he had taken to keeping the house as clean as possible he supposed. Rather like his nearly compulsive perimeter checks at night to stretch his legs and see the moonlight, instead of the cell's total darkness or the merely dimmed lights of the dungeon before being able to sleep in a good balance of both.<p>

Down in the kitchen something thudded loudly, he jumped while the water at his feet froze. _'It's nothing, nothing, at all. It doesn't mean that Ultron's standing outside ready to tear us apart. There is no reason to worry, not a one. I am perfectly fine, no, no, I am not.' _

Pulse racing, he shook his head and turned the water off before stepping out to dry himself. Since his body temperature was cold as ice, he never had to worry about normal sweat, so he was perfectly fine to re-don his clothes. That done he walked to the mirror while summoning his engraved pearl and Urdu comb from an inner pocket of his long coat.

As he combed his hair, he looked in the mirror, briefly shifting back into the jotun form to check on the burns. To his relief, all of the burns were gone. He pulled the comb through his hair one last time before putting it down on the sink. White-blue contrasted with pure white porcelain as he gripped the sink's edge. Like in the lounge bathroom of Avengers Tower, again, he raised his head to examine himself closely.

'_I don't know, is this form so terrible ? Thor doesn't think it is nor Jane. They love me, they are nearly obligated to reassure me that's not so. Rogers, Pepper and the others do not have such obligations. Had it existed I would have noticed their fear of me. They didn't because they have no reference points apart from my and Thor's tales of Jotunheim. I wonder if anyone has asked about Father's silence in the matter of Ultron yet.' _

A shift into regular form later, he banished the comb and tied up his hair then turned to open the bathroom door.

* * *

><p>When he walked into the kitchen he was greeted by Stark chortling, "Hey, look everybody, it's samurai Loki ! Konnichiwa."<p>

Faintly amused, he rolled his eyes as everyone else chuckled. Jokingly, he asked, "Everyone else is peasants then ?"

Thor twisted to look at him and smiled briefly, "You look lovely with your hair up. I think the last time you did it merely because you could was 200 years ago."

He moved to sit in his chair, brushing a hand over Thor's cheek to push a strand of wavy hair behind the tanned ear. "Hmm, well, thank-you, my dear. You know you were absolutely dashing in 1340. I think we both need to put our hair up a bit more."

Rogers wondered, "Isn't it a bit odd that of us Avengers the only ones with long hair are yourself and Thor, Loki ? Hasn't anyone ever used it against you ?" as he reached for fruit plate in the table's center.

"No, in Asgard the only ones who have short hair are the Einherjar. For myself I've never experienced it, but there was the one time Thor was in…"

Embarrassed, Thor hissed, "Don't you dare, Loki ! Besides it would not be appropriate for the little ones to hear."

Barton got up from his chair on the far end, "That's okay, Cooper and Elspeth need to get some sleep anyways. Say goodnight, guys."

Cooper bid them a surprisingly hesitant goodnight before yawning and shuffling out of the room while Elspeth half waved, picked up a complaining Smokey and quickly followed her brother. Barton helped his wife from her chair and they shepherded the children away.

The stairs had stopped their faint creaking when Stark prodded, "So, Thor was where… ?"

"Be reasonable, if I tell you what actually happened now it will merely be disappointing. Also, if I do then I am going to find myself in a downpour when I go outside for my perimeter check."

Stark walked around the room to sit on his close left, the spot vacated by Cooper. "We don't need a perimeter check we're in the middle of Freaking Nowhere, USA, we're fine."

In answer and, simply for pettiness, when Stark reached for a pear he willed the plate a tiny bit to the left and made an illusion of the pear's being successfully picked up.

Stark's teeth clicked together loudly, the man sighed, "Is there any real fruit ?"

Before said question had even finished he'd picked up an apple and threw it.

The apple thwacked into Stark's forehead earning him a glare, "I just can't win today, can I ? On that note, why hasn't Odin sent somebody to help us out ?"

If it weren't for the fact that they could not have known the laws and customs of Asgard he would have…hmm, he didn't know what exactly. Still he spared a glance with Thor then took it upon himself to answer. "As far as Asgard is concerned…we are alone. There will be no Einherjar, no Destroyer, we will do it by ourselves or we will fall."

A babble of disbelief and slight anger broke out. Romanov's voice was the quietest, but also the most aggressive, "This is bullshit ! If we die what's to say that Ultron won't move on from the immigrants/human aliens to real aliens and the entire galaxy or universe ? It's not like Ultron needs oxygen or anything, all he needs is fuel and he could go anywhere, absolutely anywhere if he had enough. So much for Asgard being the protectors of the Nine Realms. You're all a bunch of cowards, you pretend at Godhood, at being better than everybody else, and yet if you don't have a clear advantage you don't do a damned fucking thing ! From what Thor and you have said, Loki, I don't get how your mother could love such an ass-backwards, misogynistic and untrustworthy asshole. Odin would rather let the whole universe die because he doesn't want to help his sons when they need him…,"

The air crackled with building electricity as he looked over at Thor, his brother's nostrils were flaring, but his face was otherwise tight.

Quickly, he put a hand on Thor's shoulder before commencing the slightest of guilt trips. "Have we not disrupted Barton's routine enough without having to rebuild his home ?"

Thor's fists clenched and the Asgardian got up before storming out the backdoor leaving it open so that he wouldn't slam it. As it was best to let Thor be for a short while when angry, he rubbed at his face before explaining why that rule was so.

"Romanov, you must remember that hardly two years ago Asgard was attacked by Malekith. What you were not told is that hundreds of Einherjar and possibly more pea-civilians were killed, even children. From what Thor said it will take, at least, a hundred years before Asgard fully recovers from the ambush. Such as it is, I would rather Asgard have all the Einherjar than Father's sending some here only to find that neither Midgard nor Asgard has adequate protection. Even were that not the case, nearing the end of King Bor's reign the Marauders attacked Vanaheim in large numbers hoping to overwhelm the Vanir. Asgard went to aid them, leaving the Bifrost open for the wounded civilians to flee into, like the Kursed warrior after them, some Marauders snuck in and started slaughtering the people. When it was over King Bor passed a law that said the Bifrost could not be kept open for more than a few minutes at a time unless we were clearly winning. There is too much chance of Ultron and one, or more, of his ilk flying into the Bifrost and endangering Asgard for Odin to risk sending re-enforcements for us. Don't think that I do not know the real reason for your anger, Drakovdaughter."

The woman hissed, "How could you possibly know something like that ?"

"Whatever you think I am the God of Mischief and if I did not have my ways of information extraction wherever would I be ? Now, if you'll excuse me I am going to check on Thor."

To most of the mortal eyes he was out the backdoor in seconds. Sometime while he'd showered cloudless night had fallen and a full moon shone on the fields of rippling wheat. A moment passed as he took a deep, assuring breath. _'I am not going to wake in any of my cells, my imprisonment is over. No matter what my nightmares say…I am free.'_

Unconsciously, he opened his eyes and looked for Thor spotting him sitting on the barn's black shingled roof. It didn't take much effort to join Thor and he settled down beside his brother who was still quite tense.

The bigger man slammed a fist into the roof, growling, "Loki, why must they be so stupid ? It is easy enough to understand that Asgard does not have the necessary resources ! Not only did Malekith and the Dark Elves kill our people, but they killed half of our crops and destroyed all the produce they found. With all that she has done and been part of you would think that Romanov would understand the long term effects of battle."

'_Our people, our…people ? Thor considers me Asgardian still.' _

He pondered the myriad of possible answers before settling on. "Do you remember when we got permission from Father to visit Rome ?"

"Yes," Thor chuckled, "When they brought out the lion you asked if we could kidnap it and take it home. I, of course, said no because Father would disapprove…you promptly devised another of your schemes and stole the lion anyway. Do you remember how shocked Father was when you brought him in ?"

"Of course, oh, it was glorious. Stealing Ammatr is one of the plans that I am still incredibly proud of." Mock offended he folded his arms over his chest. "He was a magnificent beast, I could not let them kill him so easily. Also, he was the only cat that liked me right away at the time and quite helpful in letting me use his hair and such for spells. Hnn, back to the topic at hand. Thor, do you remember when we found out they were paying their slaves and…ah, mm, gladiators to fight and/or kill each other ? How because we were not born and raised there we found it dishonourable and barbaric ? That is in a sense how Romanov feels about the laws of our home."

Thor scratched at his beard and raised his eyebrows, "She thinks it dishonourable to want to protect our home as well as Midgard ? I don't understand."

"Romanov thinks it barbaric because if we die billions of Midgardians are going to die and Father could have stopped all the deaths if he'd merely fought for us to live. Romanov's father Drakov was once a KGB Agent, he was discharged for one reason or another and hoped to never see them again. Obviously, Drakov did not get his wish. Years later, when Drakov had a family, a little girl named Natasha, a wife called Eliza and an unborn child the KGB returned and demanded the girl be given to them for training. If he refused they would kill not only Natasha, but also Eliza and thus his youngest child while he watched. He did not fight to keep Romanov, not even verbally and it wounded her. You can see where this is going do you not ?"

Before Thor could respond a shrill scream erupted from inside the house.

Instinctively, he bolted to his feet, "What was that ?"

'_Did Ultron find us ? We would have noticed, wouldn't we ? No, we're on the wrong side, the roof is level with the barn, if Ultron flew low enough to get to the house, before flying up to the children's rooms…they could be dead. He could have followed us, hidden in one of the wheat fields and waited until now. No, you're just being paranoid. It is mere paranoia. But, what if it's not ?' _

Unconvinced of it himself, Thor asked, "One of the little ones playing ? They make plenty of noise for whimsical reasons."

A gust of wind nearly carried his words away, "Or it could be everyone getting ripped apart by Ultron. Shall we find out which is which, Brother ?" Despite his outer blasé, he didn't want to go.

Thor must have sensed it because he got up with an adorable, but confident smile. "We shall, for Asgard ?"

Suddenly, he realized why there was a need for a war cry - unity, it was hard to feel frightened when someone who had the same ideals was fighting beside you.

With a smile of his own, he replied, "For Asgard."

They leaped off the roof, ready they thought for whatever they would find…they weren't.


	6. Armadillo

**Armadillo**

Loki and Thor burst into Cooper's room, expecting to find something they could hit or smash. They found…nothing and stared in confusion, he didn't sense any magic thus he turned to Cooper. The boy was hunched in his bed, dabbing at his eyes with his blanket.

Loki extinguished his fire, wondering, "What happened to make you scream so loudly ?"

Cooper sniffled and looked up, "I-it was just a nightmare."

_'__Just a nightmare ? I never screamed from regular nightmares.'_

At a loss as to what creatures Midgardians feared he inquired, "Was it about a Muspelian ogre burning and eating your family alive ?"

Brown eyebrows furrowed before Cooper shook his head faintly, "N-no. What's that ?"

"What's that ? That, is a twelve foot tall brown, red and orange-skinned creature that lives near lava pools, it shockingly is knowledgeable enough to skewer its enemies on spears of rock and roast them."

"Huh, that sounds cool !"

Now, even more confused than he was Thor asked, "A gigantic Nornir snapping turtle tearing them in half then ?"

His headache started returning as Cooper giggled, "No, it wasn't a turtle."

Both he and Thor looked to each other before asking in unison, "The flying pigs of Beo Mountain ?"

More giggles burst from Cooper's lips, "They actually exist ?"

Momentarily, he rubbed at his face, "Yes, they do, actually, exist." It was just utterly exhausting how much needed explaining according to the peoples of Midgard. How did they manage to live knowing hardly anything about the world outside their own realm ? It seemed impossible to him that he could have only ever learned things of Asgardian origin with his and Thor's many tutors. Yet, somehow, Midgard had managed to do just such a thing.

_'__What boring lives these Midgardians live. How does one know nothing of the flying pigs of Asgard and Midgard ? Mind that according to Father the flying pigs of Midgard all, but disappeared when he was 3000 years old.'_

Thor walked to stand beside Cooper's bed, "If it was not any of those, then what was your nightmare about ?"

Cooper fiddled with his blanket looking down, "Do you guys promise you won't laugh at me ?"

He moved to stand beside Thor undoing his topknot and smoothing his hair. Solemnly, he replied, "I, Loki Odinson, Prince of Asgard swear that I will not find amusement in the revealing of Cooper Clintson's nightmare."

Thor echoed his sentiment, "I count myself no longer Crown Prince of Asgard, but I, Thor Odinson, swear not to laugh at Cooper Clintson's nightmare."

One bit lip later, Cooper looked up before admitting, "We were all getting squished to death by a giant, purple...armadillo."

"What is an arm-adil-lo ?"

In disbelief, the boy blurted, "How do you not know what an armadillo is ?"

"We have never come across one in our travels across Midgard whether the trip was authorized or unauthorized."

Cooper scrambled out of his bed, calling for Thor to turn on the light, rushing to a wire-frame shelf and pulling out a sketch book and one of those odd pencils that was covered in yellow wood.

_'__I don't know why they thought they needed to complicate a pencil. At least, with Asgardian ones all you have to do is sharpen the lead itself, not chip away at the wood and finally sharpen the lead - it's a waste.'_

The light turned on before Thor had even taken a step and Romanov asked, "Thor, Loki could I talk to you ?" startling all three of them.

"Of course, Romanov."

Still fuming at being snuck up on he hid it by wrapping the leather hair tie around his wrist. _'Why is it that she is able to sneak-up on me ? Little silent thing, just as Wolfgang called Drakov. I believe that Wolfgang also called Drakov - Der falke auf Schwartzen morgen or some such when we talked of him in England.'_

When he looked at Romanov as she leaned against the staircase's railing with the way she held herself and the light's reflection, he noticed something._ 'Romanov looks very similar to Scarlet Witch as well. What if they are all, if only distantly, related to Angelika ? I never checked on her again after I saved her so it is possible.'_

"Say what you will while you can." Loki blinked in shock at himself, the words had come out far more sinister than he'd meant. A familiar illusion of standing still and paying attention left him free to pace and twist the hair tie.

_'__I am not going to give in to those impulses around them, I will not. Wolfgang deserves such treatment, not Romanov. It will be harder if we retrieve the Sceptre, its so strong and I am anything but. Oh, Mother what would you think of me ?'_

Mother's voice filled his mind, "I would think you are strong enough to give up the Sceptre when it beckoned you. Most would have surrendered, but you didn't. You cannot let this vision win, Loki. A little fear of yourself is good as it leads to improvement, yet, if you fear too much it turns you into someone else. If you were different who would have saved Jane on Svartalfheim ? Do you understand my son ?"

Unconsciously, he nodded then retook his spot beside Thor and dropped the illusion to listen to Romanov.

"-I'm sorry that I called you cowards, cowards wouldn't have risked their lives to save a tiny Philippian village from Hydra single-handedly. I didn't consider that, besides that law, maybe Odin trusts you enough that he thinks your is all the help we need."

From the top of the stairs came Stark's voice, "He's taking a chance, hey !"

Cooper rushed by Stark jumping down the stairs to spring swiftly upright from his forward roll and brandished his sketch book. "This is an armadillo, see, Uncle Thor, Uncle Loki, see ?"

_'__Uncle Loki ? I've never been called that before it feels…surprisingly nice.'_

He replied, "It looks as if someone took a rat shoved it into a bilgesnipe-leather bowl and magically combined the two. In simple terms…that is one ugly creature."

Beside him, Thor nodded in ready agreement.

Stark had by now caught his balance, "Takes one to know one !"

Merely continuing from in Sokovia he asked, "Still talking about ourselves are we, Tin Man ?"

It seemed that Stark found more than one insult in his words because the man retorted, "Eh ! I've got a heart and no, you can't check, Pokey."

"I'm sorry I don't believe you. But, well, I'm also afraid to inform you that I don't have your heart on hand at the moment."

Stark shook his head and held up a hand, "No, no, Loki, I'm sorry, the first class ass you ordered only ships next week."

Innocently, Cooper wondered, "What's an ass ?"

Himself and everyone else, "It's a donkey."

Cooper nodded then went back up the staircase. Stark smirked as he turned to follow the boy calling, "Tomorrow, Loki, I continue my victory."

Smugly, he quipped back, "Trust me, Stark, your victory is substantial as the pear." When Romanov went to leave he asked, "Romanov, do you know how your father died ?"

A wary, but interested look crossed her face, "No, I was just told that he died. How ?"

"You will not like to hear this, but the KGB lied about why they wanted you to burn down the hospital. You see, Romanov, your father was a patient there, they thought he had gone mad and more importantly could spill their secrets. They couldn't have that and, simply for irony, they chose you with which to exact their vengeance. When I was in the bunker with Wolfgang and Barton, one of the elder soldiers who was ex-KGB came up to Wolfgang and myself. Igor Kandinsky said that he had known Drakov and all that your father had wanted was to see you, to apologize for not knowing you. I think you have made Drakov proud with all that you are doing."

Brief sadness and gratitude appeared and vanished in a blink as Romanov nodded sharply.

After she had ascended the stairs, Thor put an arm around his shoulders and murmured, "It is time that we got some sleep."

Truth be told, it seemed like forever since he'd gotten a good night's sleep and let himself be led away to his and Thor's room. A few minutes after he undressed and lay down he was fast asleep.


	7. Intention

**Intention**

Loki sat on his bed re-reading Thor's letter:

"Dear Loki, I will have left long before you wake. You likely will have guessed at my absence and yes, it was my vision that caused me to leave. What was my vision ? I cannot describe all that I saw, it is too terrible, but what I can describe is this - I saw Asgard a burning wreck as Malekith tore out your heart with the Aether. Jane was there too, her body lay broken on the marble beside Mother's. Meanwhile, the Dark Elves and Ultron worked together to tear our home apart. Parents cut down while their children wailed and the walls fell upon them. Father, Heimdall, and everyone else screamed in betrayal. They screamed that Asgard was in ruin, my loves lost because I was not strong enough to finish what I started. Malekith may be long dead, but Ultron exists and if there is someway to have forewarning I cannot allow it to happen. I have gone to find the Midgardian Waters of Sight. If I do not return in three days at most then you will know that they have deemed me unworthy. If I should die then do not let your grief dissuade you from fighting Ultron. Instead I ask you to harness it and channel it into a brilliant scheme to help bring Ultron down.

Thor."

Slowly, he put the letter down only to notice a tiny post script: "I can't remember where it is, as such I am going to find Erik and see if he can help me." A soft chuckle left his lips and leather rustled as he got up. 'Of course, he wouldn't want to admit that.'

After pulling on his shirt, he made his way out of the white-walled room and into the kitchen. For some reason, Stark had taken the spot where Thor had sat and he retook the chair with his long coat over it.

Stark stopped eating a piece of buttered toast and wondered, "Hey, Loki, you know remember that drawing Cooper made last night ?"

"Yes, of course, now what of it ?"

"That armadillo got me thinking about shells. I mean, the Sceptre has to have a power source for all those energy bolts, right ? If we could get it back and find some way to crack it maybe we could use the source against Ultron ?"

On his and Stark's right Banner asked, "Do you really think something from Earth could crack an alien artifact with its own mind ? I doubt it'll work."

Stark drummed his fingers on the table, "From Earth, no, but one of those Chitauri Leviathan-things could help us. Von Strucker had one of their skeletons or whatever, it was hanging in the basement. Sure, it'll probably be in UN custody, now, but we could get permission to break a piece off and take it with in case we get a chance to test the theory."

Loki reached out and took a pear responding with, "It would be more efficient if I go as I want to ask Wolfgang a few questions anyway." 'Perhaps Cecilia and Asha will have some information on Ultron for us also.'

Wolfgang's cell was small and of plain concrete, the room was mostly taken up by a bed on the far left side. As for Wolfgang himself, the Baron lay, apparently, asleep. 'He is lucky he even has a bed. It felt so odd to have a bed again in Asgard, after however long it was…it felt too soft for the longest time. Mur, I will get what information I can from him then teleport to Africa to find Asha.'

He inserted the illusion of a river rushing over the black-haired Midgardian, Wolfgang jerked as he woke. Invisible thanks to a second illusion, he waited as Wolfgang got up and stumbled to the dresser to put on his glasses. Stood behind Wolfgang's shoulder he asked innocently, "Are you having a nice time, Wolfgang ?"

He couldn't help the utterly maniacal laugh as the Baron shrieked, "Loki !" before throwing himself onto the floor.

"Ah, I do love it when you say my name; it's so…perfect, you're utterly helpless and you know it." Wolfgang rolled over and started crawling toward his bed, shouting for the guards. A few seconds later, Wolfgang's head bumped into his boots. "No one is going to hear you, do you see those cameras up there ? All those guards are seeing is you sleeping, all they are hearing is silence."

The man looked up at him whimpering, "I told you where the Sceptre was, I-I did what you wanted. My god Loki have mercy, mercy, please."

'How easy it would've been had everyone the same sense of propriety.' Derision filled him as Wolfgang kissed not only the floor, but also his boots and he kicked the Baron. "I know it is very hard to control yourself, but do try to have a solitary shred of self-respect won't you ?"

Wolfgang groaned as he slammed into the back wall and slid to the floor. Blood dripped from Wolfgang's split lip and it was wiped away quickly, "W-what do you want ?"

"Tell me all that you know of Drakov Romanov and his family, tell me why you chose to use the Sceptre on Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver."

Shaken the grey-clad Midgard picked himself up with a sneer and started on a tirade of his family and the Falkes - about how his ancestor had died because of the witch and her teacher. How the first Baron had tried to track Angelika down and failed. Eventually, it culminated with, "During my father's generation one of the Romanov daughters left Russia for Sokovia and married into the Maximoff line. The other as you know had a son, Drakov Romanov and when it was my turn to track him down, I did so." Wolfgang's face turned annoyed, "I became his friend with the intention of killing him myself. Until I found that the lie had become real and I could not go through with it, not even when he dreamed of being a falcon. Peitro and Wanda Maximoff as Natasha Romanov are the last descendants of the Falke line. I knew that Natasha Romanov did not magical abilities and wanted to see if exposure to the Sceptre would wake it in the Maximoffes, give them new abilities, or even better kill them."

'_He's mad, his whole family is mad as a bilgesnipe in heat ! Norns help us all.'_

Both from boredom and for intimidation, he summoned a dagger twirling it. "I doubt very much that Romanov appreciates the cowardice that tricked her into killing her own father. Sentiment is a foolish and dangerous thing, eventually it will be your peril. You accrue more enemies with every breath, Wolfgang. Shall I end it before the others show up as well ?"

On the wall behind him, a red light started spinning and flashing as a siren sounded, Wolfgang started shaking. Slightly sadistically Loki asked, "Well, what have we here ? It seems someone is about arrive. Did you want to say hello ?"

"No, no, no !"

"That is too bad because I think you really should stretch your legs, get some fresh air. Now, be a good Baron and greet your guest " He willed Wolfgang to his feet then teleported them outside. Wolfgang immediately tried running toward the rooftop door, reaching for the handle. _'Eins…zwie…drei.' _Emerald magic interspersed with cerulean crackled to life causing Wolfgang to fly through the air and crash heavily at his feet.

Just then his cell phone rang, he banished the dagger, put a foot on Wolfgang's shoulder and pulled the phone from his inner pocket. He'd just barely answered it when Asha cut him off, "Loki, are you still at the prison ?"

Wolfgang started squirming, he pressed down slightly eliciting a sharp whimper. "Be silent and still, Wolfgang. Yes, Asha, what do you need ?"

Asha sounded nervous likely it was more about his first comment than her news. "W-we think Ultron might've hacked into a satellite feed and found you, but we don't know for sure. What we do know is he's headed in your direction and there's a fighter jet on his tail, so you might wanna get out of there."

'_For all we know it could have been Scarlet Witch or Quicksilver that informed him of my whereabouts.'_ Dismissively, he replied, "I will take it into consideration, perhaps render some assistance as well then call you back if I have time."

He ended the call and looked down to see that Wolfgang had taken to mouthing pleas. Irritated at the man's perpetual cowardice he stomped on the mortal's shoulder and grinned wildly at the crack and scream that ensued. Mother had said not to fear himself too much. This love of fear and causing chaos was part of him, so he could neither fear it utterly nor give it up for the same. In the distance, something gleamed, revealing two low flying objects nearly level with the tree line.

'Ultron is here. I can utilize my stand-offish nature to structure and offer up a way out.' The self from his vision laughed, 'No, you are a coward just as much as Wolfgang. You just have better ways of hiding it, passing your cowardice off as brilliant escape plans and bargains. You lie even to yourself.' Suddenly, the farthest object, the fighter jet, dropped back to circle the prison at twenty feet. Ultron stopped his approach at ten, the robot's new armour was still mostly dark-blue, but his head had changed it was now mostly silver and thin lines of red energy had replaced Ultron's formerly static mouth and eyes.

That energy pulsed as the robot spoke, "How quaint, I find a murderer in the company of an even worse murderer. Neither of your species should have evolved to this point and I am going to correct it."

"Wolfgang is far worse than I, Ultron, he tortured children ! Even I would never harm a child."

The red light that was Ultron's mouth faded briefly then flared to life. "You are as terrible as Wolfgang von Strucker. Through your actions hundreds of children were injured who went on to die. How the humans were content with letting a heavily biased source pass judgement on you I cannot fathom."

Under an illusion of innocuity, he released and picked up Wolfgang, re-summoning the dagger. "That maybe, but, at least, I did not intend for the children to die. Wolfgang experimented on the Maximoffes with the intention of their deaths clear in his mind. How about this then, I give Wolfgang to you and you leave me alone until our next meeting ?"

Ultron replied, "This is the only time I will make a deal with you, alien."

"That is all I need." Happily, he stabbed Wolfgang in the stomach and threw the Baron at the robot. Ultron caught Wolfgang and the ward he'd placed on the dagger went off, though he teleported away as the fire engulfed both his enemies.

So, where did he go ? Not to Denmark, it was too close to Thor, not back to Barton's farm, but to Jane. When he appeared it was in the light-golden/beige walled chambers of Avengers Tower. Jane sat on the foot of the bed with her right forearm covered in bandages.

Slowly, he sat down beside her to ask, "What happened to your arm, Jane ?"

She looked up at him and fidgeted with her hair, twirling it around her finger. "There was a guy with a Molotov Cocktail…,"

"A what ? I'll freeze him alive, tear out his worthless spine and pull his intestines through his ears, Norns know there's no brain between them to stop me !"

Jane let go of her hair and put her hand on his arm. "Slow down, it would help you accept yourself, yes, but if you'd let me finish you'd know it wasn't the Molotov, but a piece of glass that injured me."

He took her her hand, saying, "My apologies, I had a…I think it is called a run-in with Ultron before I came here, hence I am still a little tense." The sun's glare from a window onto the television blinded him and he squinted down at the cream-tiled floor.

Soft laughter at his little rhyme before she agreed, "I can see that. It's funny you mention that because the guy who threw the Molotov was a hanger-on to a group that was protesting before the police showed up. They were saying that the Avengers caused more collective damages and deaths than the super villains you normally fight." Jane now went ridged with anger, "Of course, that was when the asshole, Hallsy Worth, jumped in and started questioning your place in the group ! He kept saying you were going to betray us all to the killer robot. Oh, you don't know how much I wanted to go down there and punch his stupid face in, and his balls, but he lit and threw the Molotov before I could. It was a pretty good throw too, all the way up to the second storey, into the middle of the room even. If I'd been you I could've just caught it and kicked his ass. He's lucky the police got to him first."

'_Yes, doubt me, you idiotic mortal. Doubt me, I who have done everything in my power to change the civilians perceptions without lying. Pray to your non-existent God that I do not find you, Worthson, because I swear that it will not be murder, no, it will be far more unpleasant and impermanent than murder.'_

While he was proud of her initiative, he was very glad that it hadn't borne fruit. "You would have made an exceptional Asgardian if that were your normal disposition."

"But then Odin wouldn't have called me a goat because I wouldn't be from a, hnn, lower race."

Incredulous rage could not hope to describe Loki's exclamation of, "Father did what ?! When did this happen ?" A blink later, he'd released Jane and twined his fingers together causing them to pale further still.

_'How can Father call Jane a, "Goat." when he knows that Thor and I love her ? Yes, Father is where I got my initial loathing of Midgardians from but I would never stoop to calling someone that unless their manners were so terrible. Alternately, I suppose it would be appropriate in certain contexts. That is if they were a goat shifter with important information to share who was posted to a farm and surrounded by strangers. Hmm, that is quite the idea. Why did I not think of this sooner ?'_

"It's nothing, it was two years ago, Loki, when I was in Asgard, in the Healing Room. I insulted him because I didn't know who he was. Not that he had a right to insult me as he couldn't have expected me to know." Jane laid her head on his shoulder absently wondering, "Did you know that Erik called me about Thor ?"

Alarm rushed even as he tried to tamp it down. "No, I had no idea that Selvig called you. Did Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch find him ? Was he injured ?"

Jane stroked the back of his hand, "Thor was fine, well, if embarrassing himself counts as fine. Erik said Thor was leaning on his car in the most conspicuous clothes possible - not just jeans, but a black hoodie with the hood up and sunglasses. How is it that when you or I dress him Thor is nearly inconspicuous, but as soon as he dresses himself he goes for the most conspicuous outfit possible ? And who are these strangers ? Are they neutral, new super villains, on Ultron's side ?"

"To paraphrase an old saying: Thor is not the soft noise of a mother cooing her child to sleep, Thor is the roar of glorious victory after a battle that was hard won. What I mean is this: Thor is exactly as his namesake suggests - loud and brash and his subtility does not generally exist. As to the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, Wanda and Peitro Maximoff, they are simply angry, misguided children and begrudged of Stark. From Stark's own words, the Son of Stane was the true culprit of the attack; however, as Stark's name was on the projectile they credited it to him. If they could be made to see sense perhaps they would realize that their vengeance has long stood fulfilled...because of Stark."

"You were angry and misguided too Loki. Compared to me your ancient but compared to Odin your a child. You finally started seeing sense about yourself a few days ago, so I don't see why they can't too even-eventually." Her voice had gradually weakened finally fading into complete silence.

"Jane, Jane, what's wrong ?" She didn't answer and he turned her toward him to see that she'd fallen unconscious. Impulsively, he stood and teleported them to Pepper right into the middle of some meeting or other. "Ms. Potts I think Jane's illness is getting worse. What do we do ?"

"Have you called 911 yet ?"

"Called what ? What is that ?"

_'What is Midgard's obsession with all these numbers ? Why can't they have Healers as Asgard does ? It would be so much simpler.'_

"Ah, never mind, I'll do it. You can finish up your mission and when there's a change for the better I'll call you. Deal ?"

Coldness started spreading from his core and he clenched his fingers quickly casting an illusion of normalcy as he noticed they'd started blueing. "That would be quite helpful, thank you, Ms. Potts."

Loki left Pepper's office, the secretary wondered, "Loki is something wrong ?"

He couldn't remember the woman's name, "Not for you it is not." The woman blanched and again he knew it'd come out sinisterly. _'I need to leave before I start freezing. Call Asha, finish the mission, panic later.'_


End file.
